Natural hazards · Waterville

Waterville, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waterville comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1987. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Waterville?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waterville to be higher than in 47% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding62%Hurricanes15%Ice storms7%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Waterville faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% 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

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Waterville flood?

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

6paid claims since 1987

$364Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19872026

Biggest named events

December Nor'easter: 2 claims, $72K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Waterville 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.

Disasters that hit Waterville

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WatervilleDeclared for Kennebec County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

93 households applied for aid $81K aid approved $68K to the City of Waterville for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$38K to the City of Waterville for repairs

2003

Snow

$29K to the City of Waterville for repairs

Kennebec County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Waterville

Waterville and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Winslowmostly inland floodingModerate

Watervillemostly inland floodingModerate

Oaklandmostly inland floodingLow

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. Waterville covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Waterville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Waterville. 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 Waterville total about $5.2M 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.