Natural hazards · Waterville

Waterville, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waterville comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2005. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Waterville?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waterville to be higher than in 20% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Cold waves8%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Waterville faces

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

Inland flooding

73% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% 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 Waterville flood?

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

2paid claims since 2005

$6Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20052026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 1 claim, $2K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Oneida County.

Disasters that hit Waterville

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WatervilleDeclared for Oneida County only

2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$154K to the Village of Waterville for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$5K to the Village of Waterville for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

14 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2003

Ice Storm

3 households applied for aid $756 aid approved $2K to the Village of Waterville for repairs

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

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