Natural hazards · Watertown

Watertown, SD 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 369 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Watertown?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Watertown to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding47%Cold waves21%Tornadoes15%Ice storms8%Everything else9%

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

47% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

21% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about 13 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Ice storms

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

HailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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.

369paid claims since 1979

$5.8Mpaid to owners

33homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Severe flooding: 43 claims, $326K
Midwest Flooding: 20 claims, $119K
Late spring storms: 3 claims, $31K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (9) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Watertown is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Codington County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Watertown

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WatertownDeclared for Codington County only

2023

Flooding

$146K to the City of Watertown for repairs

2022

Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$637K to the City of Watertown for repairs

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$269K to the City of Watertown for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm

$43K to the City of Watertown for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$326K to the City of Watertown for repairs

2011

Flooding

$182K to the City of Watertown for repairs

2010

Flooding

$102K to the City of Watertown for repairs

2005

Severe Winter Storm

$62K to the City of Watertown for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams

$307K to the City of Watertown for repairs

Codington County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Watertown

Watertown and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Watertownmostly inland floodingHigh

Lakemostly inland floodingModerate

Elmiramostly inland floodingModerate

Sheridanmostly inland floodingModerate

Richlandmostly inland floodingModerate

Pelicanmostly inland floodingLow

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 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Watertown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City 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 $15.9M 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.