Natural hazards · Watseka

Watseka, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Watseka comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 537 claims here since 1979. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Watseka?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Watseka to be higher than in 94% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding74%Cold waves19%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Watseka faces

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

Inland flooding

74% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

19% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Watseka flood?

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

537paid claims since 1979

$13.1Mpaid to owners

59homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Early winter storms: 35 claims, $361K
Hurricane Ike: 2 claims, $35K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (7) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Watseka is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Iroquois County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

58flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Watseka

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WatsekaDeclared for Iroquois County only

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

685 households applied for aid $2.9M aid approved

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$9K to the City of Watseka for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$15K to the City of Watseka for repairs

Iroquois County has had 7 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter 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. Watseka covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Watseka’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Watseka. 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 Watseka total about $6.2M 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.