Natural hazards · Watterstown

Watterstown, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Watterstown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 2008. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Watterstown?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Watterstown to be higher than in 63% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding62%Cold waves13%Tornadoes12%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Watterstown 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 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 44 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 Watterstown flood?

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

4paid claims since 2008

$30Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20082026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Grant County.

Disasters that hit Watterstown

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WatterstownDeclared for Grant County only

2013

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$176K to the Town of Watterstown for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$3K to the Town of Watterstown for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$3K to the Town of Watterstown for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$16K to the Town of Watterstown for repairs

2000

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$21K to the Town of Watterstown for repairs

Grant County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Watterstown

Watterstown and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Richwoodmostly inland floodingHigh

Watterstownmostly inland floodingHigh

Boscobelmostly inland floodingHigh

Muscodamostly inland floodingLow

Hickory Grovemostly 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. Watterstown covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Watterstown’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Watterstown. 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 Watterstown total about $2.4M 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.