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Natural hazards · Ottawa

Ottawa, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ottawa comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1986. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Ottawa?

74
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ottawa to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding52%Tornadoes15%Strong wind7%Heat waves6%Hail6%Everything else14%
By hazard

What Ottawa faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Strong wind

7% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places
Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places
Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places
Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Ottawa flood?

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

4paid claims since 1986
$19Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19862026

Biggest named events

  • Thunderstorms: 1 claim, $3K
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Ottawa is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Franklin County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Ottawa

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OttawaDeclared for Franklin County only
2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$37K to the City of Ottawa for repairs
2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,landslides,and Mudslides

$70K to the City of Ottawa for repairs
2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$37K to the City of Ottawa for repairs
2013

Snowstorm

$31K to the City of Ottawa for repairs
2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

$19K to the City of Ottawa for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes

$85K to the City of Ottawa for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

39 households applied for aid $205K aid approved $76K to the City of Ottawa for repairs
2005

Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, and Flooding

$32K to the City of Ottawa for repairs
2002

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$391K to the City of Ottawa for repairs
Franklin County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and tornadoes.
Around Ottawa

Ottawa and the towns around it

Ottawa: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHarrison: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLincoln: High, mostly inland floodingHayes: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCentropolis: High, mostly inland floodingPeoria: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCutler: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGreenwood: High, mostly inland floodingHomewood: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOttawa: High, mostly inland flooding OttawaOttawaHarrisonLincoln
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Ottawamostly inland floodingHigh
Lincolnmostly inland floodingHigh
Harrisonmostly inland floodingModerate
Ottawamostly 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. Ottawa covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ottawa’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Ottawa. 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 Ottawa total about $3.1M 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
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