Natural hazards · Waterford

Waterford, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waterford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2008. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Waterford?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waterford to be higher than in 59% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding62%Cold waves16%Tornadoes14%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Waterford faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

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 Waterford flood?

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

2paid claims since 2008

$12Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20082026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Racine County.

Disasters that hit Waterford

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaterfordDeclared for Racine County only

2026

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

10 households applied for aid $22K aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$10K to the Village of Waterford for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

64 households applied for aid $97K aid approved $53K to the Village of Waterford for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$9K to the Village of Waterford for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $228 aid approved

2000

Snow

$6K to the Village of Waterford for repairs

Racine County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Waterford

Waterford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Waterfordmostly inland floodingModerate

Rochestermostly 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. Waterford 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 Waterford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Waterford. 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.