Natural hazards · Española

Española, NM natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Española comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1981. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Española?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Española to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Earthquakes10%Wildfire5%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Española faces

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

Inland flooding

80% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Wildfire

5% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesLandslidesStrong 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 Española flood?

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

1paid claims since 1981

$2Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19812026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Rio Arriba County.

Disasters that hit Española

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EspañolaDeclared for Rio Arriba County only

2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

$6K to the City of Española for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Extreme Cold Temperatures

$36K to the City of Española for repairs

Rio Arriba County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and severe storms.

Around Española

Española and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Ohkay Owingehmostly inland floodingVery high

Españolamostly inland floodingVery high

Santa Cruzmostly inland floodingVery high

Sombrillomostly inland floodingVery high

Cuartelezmostly inland floodingVery high

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. Española covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Española’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Española. 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 Española total about $2.8M 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.