Natural hazards · Watab

Watab, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Watab comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 26 claims here since 1997. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Watab?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding74%Tornadoes9%Cold waves6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Watab 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

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 75 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Watab flood?

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

26paid claims since 1997

$158Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19972026

Biggest named events

Severe flooding: 9 claims, $62K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Benton County.

Disasters that hit Watab

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WatabDeclared for Benton County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$2K to the Township of Watab for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$37K to the Township of Watab for repairs

Benton County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Watab

Watab and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Watabmostly inland floodingVery high

Le Saukmostly inland floodingVery high

Langolamostly inland floodingHigh

Ricemostly inland floodingHigh

Brockwaymostly inland floodingHigh

Sauk Rapidsmostly inland floodingModerate

Mayhew Lakemostly 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. Watab covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Watab’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Watab. 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 Watab total about $2.4M 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.