Natural hazards · Black River

Black River, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Black River comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Black River?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Black River to be higher than in 34% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Cold waves6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Black River 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

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Black River flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Black River.

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jefferson County.

Disasters that hit Black River

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Black River itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Village of Black River.

Brought FEMA money into Black RiverDeclared for Jefferson County only

2014

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$3K to the Village of Black River for repairs

1999

Snow

$2K to the Village of Black River for repairs

Jefferson County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Black River

Black River and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Black Rivermostly inland floodingLow

Rutlandmostly inland floodingLow

Le Raymostly inland floodingVery low

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. Black River 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 Black River’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Black River. 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.