East St. Louis, Illinois Flood Zones
East St. Louis sits in the Mississippi River floodplain protected by levees. The area faces catastrophic flood risk if levees are overtopped or breached, as occurred during the Great Flood of 1993.
FEMA Flood Risk Profile: St. Clair 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 HighEst. annual loss: $71.7M
Hurricane Risk
Very LowEst. annual loss: $21K
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county-level assessment. Individual property risk may vary.
Federal Flood Disaster History: St. Clair County
St. Clair County has been included in 9 federal flood-related disaster declarations.
...and 1 earlier declaration since 1969.
These declarations affected communities across St. Clair County, including East St. Louis.
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries API. Data sourced February 2026.
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims: St. Clair County
Properties in St. Clair County have filed 1,465 NFIP flood insurance claims totaling $7.8M in payouts since 1978. The average claim payout is $5K.
Highest-Claim Years
1993
299 claims - $517K
1996
211 claims - $1.1M
1995
148 claims - $478K
Claims by Flood Zone
Zone X
709
Zone AH
455
Zone A
148
Zone AE
71
Zone AHB
2
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Claims API. Data sourced February 2026.
Common Flood Zones in East St. Louis
Properties in East St. Louis, IL are commonly designated in these FEMA flood zones:
What Your Flood Zone Means in East St. Louis
East St. Louis 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 East St. Louis are Zone AE, Zone X. FEMA's National Risk Index estimates the county's annual expected loss from inland flooding at over $71.7M.
Riverine flood risk in East St. Louis 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 East St. Louis address.
Check Your East St. Louis Address
Enter any East St. Louis, IL address to instantly see its FEMA flood zone, risk level, and whether flood insurance is required.
Free Flood Zone LookupEast St. Louis, IL Flood Zone FAQ
What flood zones are in East St. Louis, IL?
The most common FEMA flood zones in East St. Louis are Zone AE, 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 East St. Louis?
If your East St. Louis 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 East St. Louis?
Enter your East St. Louis 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.
How high is flood risk in East St. Louis?
According to FEMA's National Risk Index, St. Clair County (where East St. Louis is located) has a "Relatively High" rating for inland flood risk. The estimated annual flood loss for the county is $71.7M. This county-level assessment considers historical flood losses, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
Has East St. Louis experienced major flooding events?
St. Clair County, where East St. Louis is located, has been part of 9 federal disaster declarations for flooding, hurricanes, or severe storms. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Floodng in 2024. Federal disaster declarations are issued when flooding overwhelms local resources and triggers FEMA assistance programs.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in East St. Louis?
St. Clair County has recorded 1,465 NFIP flood insurance claims totaling $7.8M in payouts since 1978. The year with the most claims was 1993, with 299 claims and $517K in payouts. These figures cover all NFIP claims in the county, including East St. Louis.
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