Natural hazards · Turtle Creek

Turtle Creek, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Turtle Creek comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 120 claims here since 1979. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Turtle Creek?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Turtle Creek to be higher than in 62% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding87%Cold waves8%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Turtle Creek faces

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

Inland flooding

87% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 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 Turtle Creek flood?

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

120paid claims since 1979

$1.2Mpaid to owners

22homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 28 claims, $241K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Allegheny County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

14flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Turtle Creek

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Turtle Creek itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Borough of Turtle Creek.

Brought FEMA money into Turtle CreekDeclared for Allegheny County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

127 households applied for aid $347K aid approved

Allegheny County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Turtle Creek

Turtle Creek and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wilmerdingmostly inland floodingVery high

Turtle Creekmostly inland floodingHigh

East Pittsburghmostly inland floodingLow

North Versaillesmostly inland floodingVery low

Wilkinsmostly inland floodingVery low

Monroevillemostly 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. Turtle Creek covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Turtle Creek’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Turtle Creek. 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 Turtle Creek total about $1.7M 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.