Natural hazards · Ottawa

Ottawa, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ottawa comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 365 claims here since 1978. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ottawa?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ottawa to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding72%Tornadoes10%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Ottawa faces

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

Inland flooding

72% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 94 years in the area

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 Ottawa flood?

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

365paid claims since 1978

$9.6Mpaid to owners

24homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Late winter storms: 18 claims, $274K
Tropical Storm Erin: 2 claims, $155K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (8) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Ottawa is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Putnam County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

111flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Ottawa

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OttawaDeclared for Putnam County only

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$108K to the Village of Ottawa for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

662 households applied for aid $3.3M aid approved $1.7M to the Village of Ottawa for repairs

2004

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$6K to the Village of Ottawa for repairs

2002

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

1 household applied for aid

Putnam County has had 10 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter 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. Ottawa covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ottawa’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Ottawa. 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 Ottawa total about $2.3M 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.