Natural hazards · Birchdale

Birchdale, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Birchdale comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Birchdale?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Birchdale to be higher than in 51% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding74%Tornadoes7%Strong wind6%Cold waves5%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Birchdale faces

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

Inland flooding

74% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 24 years in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 14 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Birchdale flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Todd County.

Disasters that hit Birchdale

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BirchdaleDeclared for Todd County only

2014

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$93K to the Township of Birchdale for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$8K to the Township of Birchdale for repairs

Todd County has had 10 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Birchdale

Birchdale and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Kandotamostly inland floodingHigh

Sauk Centremostly inland floodingModerate

Melrosemostly inland floodingModerate

Birchdalemostly inland floodingModerate

Grey Eaglemostly inland floodingModerate

Round Prairiemostly inland floodingModerate

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. Birchdale covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Birchdale’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Birchdale. 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 Birchdale total about $1.1M 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.