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Natural hazards · Watertown

Watertown, TN 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 6 claims here since 2010. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Watertown?

77
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Watertown to be higher than in 77% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding64%Cold waves14%Tornadoes11%Everything else13%
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

64% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

14% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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.

6paid claims since 2010
$96Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
20102026

Biggest named events

  • Late spring storms: 5 claims, $84K
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Watertown is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Wilson 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 City of Watertown.

Brought FEMA money into WatertownDeclared for Wilson County only
2026

Severe Winter Storm

4 households applied for aid $4K aid approved
2025

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

1 household applied for aid
2021

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

5 households applied for aid
2021

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $1K aid approved
2020

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

2 households applied for aid
2010

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

101 households applied for aid $468K aid approved $40K to the City of Watertown for repairs
2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $626 aid approved
Wilson County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and tornadoes.
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 is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.
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.

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/18 · 2025-01-01
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