Natural hazards · Lake Oswego

Lake Oswego, OR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lake Oswego comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 56 claims here since 1996. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lake Oswego?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lake Oswego to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes49%Inland flooding39%Cold waves7%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Lake Oswego faces

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

Earthquakes

49% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Lake Oswego flood?

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

56paid claims since 1996

$3.8Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Clackamas County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Lake Oswego

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Lake OswegoDeclared for Clackamas County only

2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$20K to the City of Lake Oswego for repairs

2024

Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, and Mudslides

$881K to the City of Lake Oswego for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storm

$847K to the City of Lake Oswego for repairs

2020

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

99 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $18K to the City of Lake Oswego for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$332K to the City of Lake Oswego for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm, Record and Near Record Snow

$119K to the City of Lake Oswego for repairs

Clackamas County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Lake Oswego

Lake Oswego and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Rivergrovemostly inland floodingHigh

Oak Grovemostly earthquakesHigh

Portlandmostly earthquakesHigh

Lake Oswegomostly earthquakesHigh

West Linnmostly earthquakesModerate

Tualatinmostly earthquakesModerate

Staffordmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Lake Oswego covers 11 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lake Oswego’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lake Oswego. 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 Lake Oswego total about $24.9M 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.