Natural hazards · Waggaman

Waggaman, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waggaman comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 245 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Waggaman?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waggaman to be higher than in 94% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes79%Inland flooding9%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Waggaman faces

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

Hurricanes

79% 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

9% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 11% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Waggaman flood?

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

245paid claims since 1978

$4.0Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Katrina: 30 claims, $1.2M
Hurricane Ida: 11 claims, $318K
Tropical Storm Isidore: 10 claims, $143K

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Waggaman 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

4homes raised above flood level

1buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Waggaman

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaggamanDeclared for Jefferson Parish only

2024

Hurricane Francine

22 households applied for aid $33K aid approved

2021

Hurricane Ida

566 households applied for aid $1.0M aid approved

2020

Hurricane Zeta

22 households applied for aid

2012

Hurricane Isaac

69 households applied for aid $11K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Gustav

22 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Rita

4 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

46 households applied for aid $159K aid approved

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

Around Waggaman

Waggaman and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Avondalemostly hurricanesVery high

River Ridgemostly hurricanesVery high

Waggamanmostly hurricanesVery high

Harahanmostly 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. Waggaman covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Waggaman’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Waggaman. 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 Waggaman total about $4.3M 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.