Natural hazards · Zachary

Zachary, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Zachary comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 363 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Zachary?

82
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Zachary to be higher than in 82% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding50%Tornadoes19%Hurricanes16%Cold waves8%Everything else7%
By hazard

What Zachary faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

16% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Zachary flood?

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

363paid claims since 1978
$19.2Mpaid to owners
52homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Mid-summer severe storms: 198 claims, $15.6M
  • Hurricane Gustav: 36 claims, $1.4M
  • Hurricane Delta: 21 claims, $1.2M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (11) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Zachary is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: East Baton Rouge Parish.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

9flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
3homes raised above flood level
Disasters that hit Zachary

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ZacharyDeclared for East Baton Rouge Parish only
2024

Hurricane Francine

$46K to the City of Zachary for repairs
2021

Hurricane Ida

4,594 households applied for aid $2.4M aid approved
2021

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

17 households applied for aid $23K aid approved
2021

Severe Winter Storms

23 households applied for aid $6K aid approved
2020

Hurricane Laura

2 households applied for aid
2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

2,737 households applied for aid $12.8M aid approved $549K to the City of Zachary for repairs
2012

Hurricane Isaac

245 households applied for aid $90K aid approved $90K to the City of Zachary for repairs
2008

Hurricane Gustav

2,216 households applied for aid $1.4M aid approved $822K to the City of Zachary for repairs
2005

Hurricane Rita

$12K to the City of Zachary for repairs
2005

Hurricane Katrina

1,973 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $150K to the City of Zachary for repairs
2001

Tropical Storm Allison

$5K to the City of Zachary for repairs
East Baton Rouge Parish has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.
Around Zachary

Zachary and the towns around it

Central: Very high, mostly inland floodingDenham Springs: Very high, mostly inland floodingBrownfields: High, mostly inland floodingMonticello: Very high, mostly inland floodingSt. George: Moderate, mostly inland floodingZachary: Very high, mostly inland flooding ZacharyCentral
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Centralmostly inland floodingVery high
Zacharymostly inland floodingVery 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. Zachary covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Zachary’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Zachary. 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 Zachary total about $8.3M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01