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Natural hazards · Watertown

Watertown, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Watertown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 22 claims here since 1980. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Watertown?

66
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Watertown to be higher than in 66% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding72%Drought11%Everything else17%
By hazard

What Watertown 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 4 times a year in the area

Drought

11% of expected damage
Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Watertown flood?

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

22paid claims since 1980
$253Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19802026

Biggest named events

  • Tropical Storm Ivan: 4 claims, $40K
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Watertown isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Washington County.
Disasters that hit Watertown

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WatertownDeclared for Washington County only
2018

Severe Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides

$233K to the Township of Watertown for repairs
2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$4K to the Township of Watertown for repairs
2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$36K to the Township of Watertown for repairs
2004

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$18K to the Township of Watertown for repairs
2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $26K aid approved $8K to the Township of Watertown for repairs
2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$72K to the Township of Watertown for repairs
2003

Severe Winter Storm and Record/Near Record Snow

$2K to the Township of Watertown for repairs
Washington County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Watertown

Watertown and the towns around it

Barlow: Very low, mostly inland floodingWaterford: High, mostly inland floodingWarren: Very low, mostly inland floodingPalmer: High, mostly inland floodingMuskingum: Moderate, mostly inland floodingAdams: Very high, mostly inland floodingWindsor: Very high, mostly inland floodingFairfield: Very low, mostly inland floodingDunham: High, mostly inland floodingCenter: Very high, mostly inland floodingMarietta: High, mostly inland floodingBoaz: High, mostly inland floodingMarietta: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWesley: Very low, mostly inland floodingFearing: High, mostly inland floodingSalem: Very high, mostly inland floodingJackson: Low, mostly inland floodingMeigsville: Very high, mostly inland floodingPenn: High, mostly inland floodingMarion: High, mostly inland floodingMalta: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMorgan: High, mostly inland floodingWatertown: High, mostly inland flooding WatertownBarlowWaterfordWarrenPalmerMuskingumAdamsWindsor
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Adamsmostly inland floodingVery high
Windsormostly inland floodingVery high
Watertownmostly inland floodingHigh
Waterfordmostly inland floodingHigh
Palmermostly inland floodingHigh
Muskingummostly inland floodingModerate
Barlowmostly inland floodingVery low
Warrenmostly 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. Watertown covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Watertown’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Watertown. 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 Watertown total about $1.1M 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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