Fort Smith, Arkansas Flood Zones
Fort Smith is located at the confluence of the Arkansas and Poteau rivers, making it vulnerable to riverine flooding. The city has experienced major floods that inundated large portions of the downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.
FEMA Flood Risk Profile: Sebastian County
Based on FEMA's National Risk Index, which evaluates flood risk at the county level using historical loss data, exposure, and vulnerability.
Inland Flood Risk
Relatively ModerateEst. annual loss: $25.4M
Hurricane Risk
Very LowEst. annual loss: $64K
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county-level assessment. Individual property risk may vary.
Federal Flood Disaster History: Sebastian County
Sebastian County has been included in 6 federal flood-related disaster declarations.
...and 1 earlier declaration since 1972.
These declarations affected communities across Sebastian County, including Fort Smith.
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries API. Data sourced February 2026.
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims: Sebastian County
Properties in Sebastian County have filed 421 NFIP flood insurance claims totaling $19.0M in payouts since 1978. The average claim payout is $45K.
Highest-Claim Years
2019
89 claims - $11.7M
2008
42 claims - $452K
2015
34 claims - $1.5M
Claims by Flood Zone
Zone AE
191
Zone X
150
Zone A
76
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Claims API. Data sourced February 2026.
Common Flood Zones in Fort Smith
Properties in Fort Smith, AR are commonly designated in these FEMA flood zones:
What Your Flood Zone Means in Fort Smith
Fort Smith faces flood risk primarily from river and stream overflow during heavy rainfall, snowmelt, or upstream dam releases. When rivers exceed their banks, floodwaters spread across low-lying areas mapped in AE and A zones. The most common FEMA flood zone designations in Fort Smith are Zone AE, Zone A, Zone X. FEMA's National Risk Index estimates the county's annual expected loss from inland flooding at over $25.4M.
Riverine flood risk in Fort Smith is driven by the proximity and elevation of properties relative to nearby waterways. Properties closer to rivers with lower ground elevations typically face higher flood insurance premiums under FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0. If your property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and you have a federally regulated or government-backed mortgage, federal law generally requires your lender to ensure you carry flood insurance.
River flood maps can change when FEMA conducts new Flood Insurance Studies or when development alters drainage patterns. Letters of Map Amendment (LOMA) can remove individual properties if the natural ground elevation was always above the Base Flood Elevation and the property was inadvertently mapped in the SFHA. Use our free lookup tool to check the current flood zone for any Fort Smith address.
Check Your Fort Smith Address
Enter any Fort Smith, AR address to instantly see its FEMA flood zone, risk level, and whether flood insurance is required.
Free Flood Zone LookupFort Smith, AR Flood Zone FAQ
What flood zones are in Fort Smith, AR?
The most common FEMA flood zones in Fort Smith are Zone AE, Zone A, Zone X. Properties in these high-risk zones (SFHA) may require flood insurance with a federally regulated or government-backed mortgage.
Is flood insurance required in Fort Smith?
If your Fort Smith property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and you have a federally regulated or government-backed mortgage, federal law generally requires your lender to ensure you carry flood insurance. Properties in Zone X are not federally required to carry flood insurance, though coverage is still recommended since about 25% of all NFIP flood claims come from Zone X properties.
How do I check my flood zone in Fort Smith?
Enter your Fort Smith address in the search tool above for an instant flood zone determination. Results include your FEMA flood zone, SFHA status, base flood elevation (if available), and FIRM panel information, pulled directly from FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer.
What type of flooding affects Fort Smith?
Fort Smith is primarily affected by river and stream overflow during heavy rainfall. The most common FEMA flood zone designations are Zone AE, Zone A, Zone X. Use the free lookup tool above to check the specific flood zone for any Fort Smith address.
Has Fort Smith experienced major flooding events?
Sebastian County, where Fort Smith is located, has been part of 6 federal disaster declarations for flooding, hurricanes, or severe storms. The most recent was Hurricane Laura in 2020. Federal disaster declarations are issued when flooding overwhelms local resources and triggers FEMA assistance programs.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Fort Smith?
Sebastian County has recorded 421 NFIP flood insurance claims totaling $19.0M in payouts since 1978. The year with the most claims was 2019, with 89 claims and $11.7M in payouts. These figures cover all NFIP claims in the county, including Fort Smith.
Sources
This page summarizes information from FEMA and other official resources in plain language. For full technical details, see the links below.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard LayerDirect Source
The NFHL is the source of all flood zone data shown on this page.
- FEMA Map Service Center — Search by AddressDirect Source
Look up any address to view FIRM panels, FIS reports, and LOMCs.
- NFHL Data and Map StatusTopic Page
View NFHL coverage and data freshness by state and community.
- FEMA National Risk Index — Data ResourcesDirect Source
County-level risk scores for inland flooding, coastal flooding, and hurricane used in the Flood Risk Profile.
- OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries API v2Direct Source
Federal disaster declarations filtered for flood-related incident types (Flood, Hurricane, Severe Storm, Coastal Storm).
- OpenFEMA FIMA NFIP Claims API v2Direct Source
Historical NFIP flood insurance claims since 1978, aggregated by county and state. Includes claim counts, payouts, and flood zone breakdowns.
Sources last verified: February 2026