Natural hazards · Ben Lomond

Ben Lomond, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ben Lomond comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 48 claims here since 1981. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Ben Lomond?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ben Lomond to be higher than in 99% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding68%Earthquakes28%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Ben Lomond faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

68% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

28% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Ben Lomond flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Ben Lomond, from FEMA’s records.

48paid claims since 1981

$515Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 21 claims, $327K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Ben Lomond isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Santa Cruz County.

Disasters that hit Ben Lomond

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Ben Lomond itself: aid to households, or repair grants to Ben Lomond.

Brought FEMA money into Ben LomondDeclared for Santa Cruz County only

2023

Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

100 households applied for aid $966K aid approved

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

142 households applied for aid $476K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

393 households applied for aid $362K aid approved

Santa Cruz County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Ben Lomond

Ben Lomond and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lompicomostly inland floodingVery high

Zayantemostly inland floodingVery high

Ben Lomondmostly inland floodingVery high

Brookdalemostly inland floodingVery high

Feltonmostly inland floodingVery high

Bonny Doonmostly earthquakesVery high

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Ben Lomond covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ben Lomond’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Ben Lomond. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Ben Lomond total about $5.1M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.