Natural hazards · West Valley

West Valley, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Valley comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is West Valley?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West Valley to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding33%Cold waves25%Wildfire16%Drought12%Everything else13%

By hazard

What West Valley faces

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

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

25% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 22 times a year in the area

Wildfire

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Drought

12% of expected damage

Recorded about 19 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 West Valley flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Marshall County.

Disasters that hit West Valley

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into West ValleyDeclared for Marshall County only

2022

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$11K to the Township of West Valley for repairs

2006

Flooding

$14K to the Township of West Valley for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$6K to the Township of West Valley for repairs

Marshall County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around West Valley

West Valley and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Valleymostly inland floodingHigh

Lincolnmostly inland floodingHigh

New Mainemostly inland floodingHigh

Marsh Grovemostly inland floodingHigh

Wrightmostly 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. West Valley 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 West Valley’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of West Valley. 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.