Natural hazards · Chautauqua

Chautauqua, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chautauqua comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 42 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chautauqua?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chautauqua to be higher than in 41% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding88%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Chautauqua faces

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

Inland flooding

88% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Chautauqua flood?

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

42paid claims since 1979

$311Kpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19792026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Chautauqua County.

Disasters that hit Chautauqua

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChautauquaDeclared for Chautauqua County only

2014

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$13K to the Town of Chautauqua for repairs

2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

$26K to the Town of Chautauqua for repairs

2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$18K to the Town of Chautauqua for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$5K to the Town of Chautauqua for repairs

2001

Snow

$16K to the Town of Chautauqua for repairs

2000

Snow

$6K to the Town of Chautauqua for repairs

1999

Snow

$6K to the Town of Chautauqua for repairs

Chautauqua County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.

Around Chautauqua

Chautauqua and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

North Harmonymostly inland floodingHigh

Stocktonmostly inland floodingHigh

Ellerymostly inland floodingHigh

Chautauquamostly inland floodingModerate

Mayvillemostly inland floodingModerate

Shermanmostly inland floodingLow

Westfieldmostly 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. Chautauqua covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chautauqua’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Chautauqua. 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 Chautauqua total about $2.0M 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.