Natural hazards · Leaf River

Leaf River, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Leaf River comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 44 claims here since 1994. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Leaf River?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Leaf River to be higher than in 62% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding68%Tornadoes11%Cold waves9%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Leaf River faces

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

Inland flooding

68% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 15 years in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Leaf River flood?

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

44paid claims since 1994

$1.1Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19942026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 5 claims, $150K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Ogle County.

Disasters that hit Leaf River

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Leaf River itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Township of Leaf River.

Brought FEMA money into Leaf RiverDeclared for Ogle County only

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$9K to the Township of Leaf River for repairs

2006

Snow

$4K to the Township of Leaf River for repairs

Ogle County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.

Around Leaf River

Leaf River and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Leaf Rivermostly inland floodingHigh

Rockvalemostly inland floodingHigh

Byronmostly inland floodingHigh

Ridottmostly inland floodingLow

Sewardmostly inland floodingVery low

Marylandmostly inland floodingVery 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. Leaf River covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Leaf River’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Leaf River. 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 Leaf River total about $4.5M 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.