Kearney, Nebraska Flood Zones
Kearney lies along the Platte River and faces seasonal flooding from spring snowmelt and heavy rainfall in the watershed. The city's location in the Platte River valley creates broad flood exposure.
FEMA Flood Risk Profile: Buffalo 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 LowEst. annual loss: $10.1M
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county-level assessment. Individual property risk may vary.
Federal Flood Disaster History: Buffalo County
Buffalo County has been included in 5 federal flood-related disaster declarations.
These declarations affected communities across Buffalo County, including Kearney.
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries API. Data sourced February 2026.
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims: Buffalo County
Properties in Buffalo County have filed 64 NFIP flood insurance claims totaling $7.2M in payouts since 1978. The average claim payout is $112K.
Highest-Claim Years
2019
46 claims - $7.1M
2008
3 claims - $4K
1993
2 claims - $0
Claims by Flood Zone
Zone A
32
Zone AE
21
Zone X
10
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Claims API. Data sourced February 2026.
Common Flood Zones in Kearney
Properties in Kearney, NE are commonly designated in these FEMA flood zones:
What Your Flood Zone Means in Kearney
Kearney 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 Kearney are Zone AE, Zone A, Zone X. FEMA's National Risk Index estimates the county's annual expected loss from inland flooding at over $10.1M.
Riverine flood risk in Kearney 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 Kearney address.
Check Your Kearney Address
Enter any Kearney, NE address to instantly see its FEMA flood zone, risk level, and whether flood insurance is required.
Free Flood Zone LookupKearney, NE Flood Zone FAQ
What flood zones are in Kearney, NE?
The most common FEMA flood zones in Kearney 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 Kearney?
If your Kearney 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 Kearney?
Enter your Kearney 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 Kearney?
Kearney 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 Kearney address.
Has Kearney experienced major flooding events?
Buffalo County, where Kearney is located, has been part of 5 federal disaster declarations for flooding, hurricanes, or severe storms. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in 2019. Federal disaster declarations are issued when flooding overwhelms local resources and triggers FEMA assistance programs.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Kearney?
Buffalo County has recorded 64 NFIP flood insurance claims totaling $7.2M in payouts since 1978. The year with the most claims was 2019, with 46 claims and $7.1M in payouts. These figures cover all NFIP claims in the county, including Kearney.
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