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Natural hazards · Colchester

Colchester, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Colchester comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 100 claims here since 1982. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Colchester?

89
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Colchester to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding92%Everything else8%
By hazard

What Colchester faces

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

Inland flooding

92% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 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 Colchester flood?

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

100paid claims since 1982
$2.3Mpaid to owners
18homes flooded more than once
19822026

Biggest named events

  • Torrential rain: 18 claims, $221K
  • Hurricane Irene: 6 claims, $45K
  • Tropical Storm Lee: 6 claims, $96K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Colchester isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Delaware County.
Disasters that hit Colchester

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ColchesterDeclared for Delaware County only
2024

Remnants of Tropical Storm Debby

$3.1M to the Town of Colchester for repairs
2018

Severe Storms and Flooding

$941K to the Town of Colchester for repairs
2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$25K to the Town of Colchester for repairs
2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

$828K to the Town of Colchester for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

$164K to the Town of Colchester for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$4.9M to the Town of Colchester for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$6.0M to the Town of Colchester for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $2.5M to the Town of Colchester for repairs
2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

$973K to the Town of Colchester for repairs
2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$56K to the Town of Colchester for repairs
2003

Snow

$6K to the Town of Colchester for repairs
2002

Snowstorms

$19K to the Town of Colchester for repairs
Delaware County has had 30 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Colchester

Colchester and the towns around it

Hancock: Very high, mostly inland floodingRockland: Very high, mostly inland floodingAndes: High, mostly inland floodingHamden: High, mostly inland floodingWalton: Very high, mostly inland floodingBuckingham: High, mostly inland floodingManchester: High, mostly inland floodingScott: Low, mostly inland floodingHancock: Very high, mostly inland floodingFremont: High, mostly inland floodingTompkins: Very high, mostly inland floodingLiberty: Very low, mostly inland floodingNeversink: High, mostly inland floodingHardenburgh: High, mostly inland floodingCallicoon: High, mostly inland floodingDenning: High, mostly inland floodingMiddletown: High, mostly inland floodingBovina: High, mostly inland floodingDelhi: High, mostly inland floodingFranklin: High, mostly inland floodingSidney: High, mostly inland floodingColchester: Very high, mostly inland flooding ColchesterHancockRocklandAndesHamdenWalton
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Colchestermostly inland floodingVery high
Hancockmostly inland floodingVery high
Rocklandmostly inland floodingVery high
Waltonmostly inland floodingVery high
Andesmostly inland floodingHigh
Hamdenmostly 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. Colchester covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Colchester’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Colchester. 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 Colchester total about $2.5M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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