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Natural hazards · Watertown

Watertown, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Watertown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Watertown?

78
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Watertown to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding70%Tornadoes10%Strong wind7%Cold waves6%Everything else7%
By hazard

What Watertown faces

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

Inland flooding

70% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Strong wind

7% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places
Recorded about 10 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 Watertown flood?

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

2paid claims since 1979
$46Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19792026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Watertown isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Carver County.
Disasters that hit Watertown

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WatertownDeclared for Carver County only
2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

$5K to the City of Watertown for repairs
2014

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

$167K to the City of Watertown for repairs
2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$46K to the City of Watertown for repairs
2010

Flooding

$10K to the City of Watertown for repairs
2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$20K to the City of Watertown for repairs
Carver County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Watertown

Watertown and the towns around it

Watertown: Very high, mostly inland floodingMayer: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHollywood: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMinnetrista: Low, mostly inland floodingFranklin: High, mostly inland floodingWatertown: High, mostly inland flooding WatertownWatertown
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Watertownmostly inland floodingVery high
Watertownmostly inland floodingHigh
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. Watertown covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Watertown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Watertown. 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 Watertown total about $2.3M 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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