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Natural hazards · Augusta

Augusta, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Augusta comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 94 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Augusta?

44
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Augusta to be higher than in 44% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding59%Hurricanes15%Ice storms7%Earthquakes5%Everything else14%
By hazard

What Augusta faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

15% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Ice storms

7% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Augusta flood?

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

94paid claims since 1978
$2.8Mpaid to owners
8homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • December Nor'easter: 7 claims, $476K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Augusta isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Kennebec County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Augusta

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AugustaDeclared for Kennebec County only
2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

84 households applied for aid $62K aid approved $208K to the City of Augusta for repairs
2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$34K to the City of Augusta for repairs
2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$69K to the City of Augusta for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$39K to the City of Augusta for repairs
2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt and Ice Jams

$5K to the City of Augusta for repairs
2003

Snow

$35K to the City of Augusta for repairs
2000

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams

$5K to the City of Augusta for repairs
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$9K to the City of Augusta for repairs
Kennebec County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Augusta

Augusta and the towns around it

Manchester: Very low, mostly inland floodingHallowell: Very high, mostly inland floodingChelsea: Low, mostly inland floodingSidney: Low, mostly inland floodingVassalboro: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFarmingdale: Moderate, mostly inland floodingReadfield: Very low, mostly inland floodingWinthrop: Very low, mostly inland floodingWest Gardiner: Low, mostly inland floodingBelgrade: Low, mostly inland floodingPittston: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRandolph: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWhitefield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOakland: Low, mostly inland floodingChina: Low, mostly inland floodingWinslow: Moderate, mostly inland floodingAugusta: Moderate, mostly inland flooding AugustaManchesterHallowellChelseaSidneyVassalboro
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Hallowellmostly inland floodingVery high
Augustamostly inland floodingModerate
Vassalboromostly inland floodingModerate
Chelseamostly inland floodingLow
Sidneymostly inland floodingLow
Manchestermostly inland floodingVery low
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. Augusta covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Augusta’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Augusta. 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 Augusta total about $6.6M 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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