Natural hazards · Walnut Creek

Walnut Creek, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Walnut Creek comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 67 claims here since 1979. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Walnut Creek?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Walnut Creek to be higher than in 92% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes51%Inland flooding47%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Walnut Creek faces

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

Earthquakes

51% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

47% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold 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 Walnut Creek flood?

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

67paid claims since 1979

$1.2Mpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 6 claims, $368K
Pineapple Express - Southern: 3 claims, $31K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Walnut Creek is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Contra Costa County.

Disasters that hit Walnut Creek

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Walnut CreekDeclared for Contra Costa County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

90 households applied for aid $226K aid approved $976K to the City of Walnut Creek for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$97K to the City of Walnut Creek for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

29 households applied for aid $67K aid approved $19K to the City of Walnut Creek for repairs

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

Around Walnut Creek

Walnut Creek and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Saranapmostly inland floodingVery high

Contra Costa Centremostly inland floodingVery high

Castle Hillmostly inland floodingVery high

Lafayettemostly inland floodingVery high

Concordmostly earthquakesVery high

Walnut Creekmostly earthquakesVery high

North Gatemostly earthquakesVery high

Pleasant Hillmostly earthquakesVery high

Acalanes Ridgemostly earthquakesVery high

Alamomostly earthquakesVery high

Reliez Valleymostly 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. Walnut Creek covers 17 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Walnut Creek’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Walnut Creek. 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 Walnut Creek total about $88.3M 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.