Natural hazards · Waverly

Waverly, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waverly comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 464 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Waverly?

60
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waverly to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding53%Tornadoes24%Strong wind8%Hail6%Everything else10%
By hazard

What Waverly faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

24% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Strong wind

8% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Waverly flood?

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

464paid claims since 1979
$13.0Mpaid to owners
76homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Storm: 306 claims, $11.6M
  • Midwest Flooding: 13 claims, $81K
  • March 2019 Midwest Flooding: 1 claim, $3K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Waverly isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Bremer County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

85flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
2storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Waverly

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaverlyDeclared for Bremer County only
2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

$74K to the City of Waverly for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

888 households applied for aid $3.6M aid approved $2.8M to the City of Waverly for repairs
2007

Severe Winter Storms

$24K to the City of Waverly for repairs
2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

10 households applied for aid $3K aid approved
1999

Severe Storms and Flooding

$421K to the City of Waverly for repairs
1999

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$8K to the City of Waverly for repairs
Bremer County has had 15 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. Waverly covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Waverly’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Waverly. 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 Waverly total about $2.7M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01