Natural hazards · Cascade

Cascade, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cascade comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2002. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cascade?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cascade to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding57%Tornadoes14%Drought9%Hail8%Cold waves7%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Cascade faces

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

Inland flooding

57% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Drought

9% of expected damage

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Hail

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Cascade flood?

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

2paid claims since 2002

$7Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20022026

Biggest named events

March 2019 Midwest Flooding: 1 claim, $561

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Dubuque County.

Disasters that hit Cascade

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CascadeDeclared for Dubuque County only

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

3 households applied for aid $7K to the City of Cascade for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

17 households applied for aid $10K aid approved $78K to the City of Cascade for repairs

2002

Severe Storms and Flooding

$102K to the City of Cascade for repairs

1999

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$44K to the City of Cascade for repairs

Dubuque County has had 18 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. Cascade 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 Cascade’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Cascade. 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.

Cascade, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Cascade?

What Cascade faces

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Drought

Hail

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Cascade flood?

Biggest named events

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Storms and Flooding

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

How to read this page

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