Natural hazards · Otter Creek

Otter Creek, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Otter Creek comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Otter Creek?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Otter Creek to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding33%Heat waves20%Cold waves16%Tornadoes10%Strong wind7%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Otter Creek faces

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

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Otter Creek flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Otter Creek.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jersey County.

Disasters that hit Otter Creek

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Otter CreekDeclared for Jersey County only

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$18K to the Township of Otter Creek for repairs

Jersey County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Otter Creek

Otter Creek and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Quarrymostly inland floodingVery high

Rosedalemostly inland floodingVery high

Otter Creekmostly inland floodingHigh

Englishmostly inland floodingHigh

Mississippimostly inland floodingModerate

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. Otter Creek 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 Otter Creek’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Otter Creek. 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.