Natural hazards · Watervliet

Watervliet, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Watervliet comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 2000. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Watervliet?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Watervliet to be higher than in 37% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding77%Tornadoes8%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Watervliet faces

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

Inland flooding

77% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Watervliet flood?

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

8paid claims since 2000

$66Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20002026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 7 claims, $63K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Albany County.

Disasters that hit Watervliet

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WatervlietDeclared for Albany County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$48K to the City of Watervliet for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

49 households applied for aid $63K aid approved $56K to the City of Watervliet for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm

$36K to the City of Watervliet for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

1 household applied for aid $477 aid approved $28K to the City of Watervliet for repairs

2003

Snow

$11K to the City of Watervliet for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$30K to the City of Watervliet for repairs

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$12K to the City of Watervliet for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$341K to the City of Watervliet for repairs

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

Around Watervliet

Watervliet and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Troymostly inland floodingHigh

Green Islandmostly inland floodingHigh

Watervlietmostly inland floodingLow

Coloniemostly 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. Watervliet covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Watervliet’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Watervliet. 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 Watervliet total about $2.2M 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.