Natural hazards · Waterford

Waterford, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waterford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Waterford?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waterford to be higher than in 45% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding58%Hurricanes19%Cold waves8%Ice storms5%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Waterford faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Ice storms

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingTsunamisVolcanic 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 Waterford flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Waterford.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Oxford County.

Disasters that hit Waterford

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaterfordDeclared for Oxford County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $2.3M to the Town of Waterford for repairs

2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$24K to the Town of Waterford for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

10 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $45K to the Town of Waterford for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$15K to the Town of Waterford for repairs

2005

Record Snow

$6K to the Town of Waterford for repairs

2005

Snow

$8K to the Town of Waterford for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$7K to the Town of Waterford for repairs

2003

Snow

$7K to the Town of Waterford for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$3K to the Town of Waterford for repairs

2001

Snow

$10K to the Town of Waterford for repairs

2000

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams

$30K to the Town of Waterford for repairs

Oxford County has had 33 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Waterford

Waterford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Stonehammostly inland floodingModerate

Waterfordmostly inland floodingModerate

Swedenmostly inland floodingModerate

Lovellmostly inland floodingModerate

Norwaymostly inland floodingLow

Harrisonmostly inland floodingLow

Bridgtonmostly 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. Waterford is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Waterford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Waterford. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.