Natural hazards · Bonaparte

Bonaparte, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bonaparte comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 22 claims here since 1985. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bonaparte?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bonaparte to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding46%Tornadoes14%Heat waves10%Drought9%Lightning7%Strong wind6%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Bonaparte faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Heat waves

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Drought

9% of expected damage

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lightning

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslides

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bonaparte flood?

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

22paid claims since 1985

$223Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19852026

Biggest named events

Midwest Flooding: 3 claims, $53K
Storm: 1 claim, $4K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Van Buren County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Bonaparte

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BonaparteDeclared for Van Buren County only

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$16K to the City of Bonaparte for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

24 households applied for aid $19K aid approved $197K to the City of Bonaparte for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$11K to the City of Bonaparte for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$2K to the City of Bonaparte for repairs

Van Buren County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

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. Bonaparte is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bonaparte’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Bonaparte. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.

Bonaparte, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Bonaparte?

What Bonaparte faces

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Heat waves

Drought

Lightning

Strong wind

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Bonaparte flood?

Biggest named events

Homes that flooded again and again

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Winter Storms

Severe Storms and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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