Natural hazards · Rio Linda

Rio Linda, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rio Linda comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 205 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 Rio Linda?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rio Linda to be higher than in 38% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding64%Earthquakes30%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Rio Linda faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

30% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Rio Linda flood?

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

205paid claims since 1978

$4.3Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 20 claims, $202K
California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $35K
Winter storm: 1 claim, $3K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Sacramento County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

47flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

13homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Rio Linda

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Rio LindaDeclared for Sacramento County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

58 households applied for aid $101K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

12 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

Sacramento County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Rio Linda

Rio Linda and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Elvertamostly inland floodingModerate

Rio Lindamostly inland floodingLow

Sacramentomostly earthquakesLow

North Highlandsmostly inland floodingLow

McClellan Parkmostly earthquakesVery low

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. Rio Linda covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rio Linda’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Rio Linda. 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 Rio Linda total about $2.1M 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.