Natural hazards · Wanaque

Wanaque, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wanaque comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 41 claims here since 1979. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wanaque?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wanaque to be higher than in 83% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding84%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Wanaque faces

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

Inland flooding

84% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Wanaque flood?

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

41paid claims since 1979

$508Kpaid to owners

8homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Floyd: 7 claims, $169K
Torrential rain: 6 claims, $77K
Hurricane Irene: 5 claims, $103K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Passaic County.

Disasters that hit Wanaque

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WanaqueDeclared for Passaic County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

22 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$50K to the Borough of Wanaque for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

43 households applied for aid $450 aid approved $71K to the Borough of Wanaque for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$53K to the Borough of Wanaque for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

10 households applied for aid $20K aid approved $43K to the Borough of Wanaque for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$19K to the Borough of Wanaque for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$11K to the Borough of Wanaque for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

3 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $2K to the Borough of Wanaque for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $1K aid approved

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$15K to the Borough of Wanaque for repairs

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

Around Wanaque

Wanaque and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pompton Lakesmostly inland floodingVery high

Bloomingdalemostly inland floodingVery high

Wanaquemostly inland floodingVery high

Ringwoodmostly 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. Wanaque covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wanaque’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Wanaque. 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 Wanaque total about $4.8M 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.