Natural hazards · River Ridge

River Ridge, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in River Ridge comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3,571 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is River Ridge?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in River Ridge to be higher than in 95% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes77%Inland flooding14%Everything else9%

By hazard

What River Ridge faces

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

Hurricanes

77% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

14% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 River Ridge flood?

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

3,571paid claims since 1978

$101Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Katrina: 504 claims, $23.4M
Tropical Storm Isidore: 92 claims, $1.3M
Hurricane Francine: 79 claims, $4.5M

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jefferson Parish.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

115homes raised above flood level

2buildings retrofitted against wind

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit River Ridge

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into River RidgeDeclared for Jefferson Parish only

2024

Hurricane Francine

115 households applied for aid $153K aid approved

2021

Hurricane Ida

3,936 households applied for aid $4.4M aid approved

2020

Hurricane Zeta

50 households applied for aid $36K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Isaac

873 households applied for aid $119K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Ike

16 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Gustav

1,478 households applied for aid $84K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

2 households applied for aid

2005

Hurricane Rita

147 households applied for aid $101K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

3,993 households applied for aid $13.4M aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

9 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

Jefferson Parish has had 37 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around River Ridge

River Ridge and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Metairiemostly hurricanesVery high

Kennermostly hurricanesVery high

River Ridgemostly hurricanesVery high

Harahanmostly hurricanesVery high

Waggamanmostly hurricanesVery high

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. River Ridge covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to River Ridge’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to River Ridge. 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 River Ridge total about $10.9M 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.