Natural hazards · Pinole

Pinole, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pinole comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1978. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pinole?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pinole to be higher than in 95% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding50%Earthquakes47%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Pinole faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

47% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Pinole flood?

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

4paid claims since 1978

$16Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Contra Costa County.

Disasters that hit Pinole

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Pinole itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Pinole.

Brought FEMA money into PinoleDeclared for Contra Costa County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

30 households applied for aid $58K aid approved $297K to the City of Pinole for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

6 households applied for aid $12K aid approved $87K to the City of Pinole for repairs

Contra Costa County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Pinole

Pinole and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pinolemostly inland floodingVery high

El Sobrantemostly earthquakesVery high

Richmondmostly earthquakesVery high

Bayviewmostly earthquakesVery high

Tara Hillsmostly earthquakesVery high

Herculesmostly 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. Pinole covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pinole’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Pinole. 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 Pinole total about $14.3M 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.