Vancouver, Washington Flood Zones
Vancouver faces flooding from the Columbia River and Burnt Bridge Creek. The city's location along the Columbia River floodplain creates significant flood risk, particularly during periods of high snowmelt runoff.
FEMA Flood Risk Profile: Clark 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: $68.3M
Coastal Flood Risk
Very LowEst. annual loss: $6K
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county-level assessment. Individual property risk may vary.
Federal Flood Disaster History: Clark County
Clark County has been included in 5 federal flood-related disaster declarations.
These declarations affected communities across Clark County, including Vancouver.
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries API. Data sourced February 2026.
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims: Clark County
Properties in Clark County have filed 161 NFIP flood insurance claims totaling $2.3M in payouts since 1978. The average claim payout is $14K.
Highest-Claim Years
1996
64 claims - $962K
2006
24 claims - $711K
2015
12 claims - $267K
Claims by Flood Zone
Zone A
75
Zone X
51
Zone AE
21
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Claims API. Data sourced February 2026.
Common Flood Zones in Vancouver
Properties in Vancouver, WA are commonly designated in these FEMA flood zones:
What Your Flood Zone Means in Vancouver
Vancouver 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 Vancouver are Zone AE, Zone X. FEMA's National Risk Index estimates the county's annual expected loss from inland flooding at over $68.3M.
Riverine flood risk in Vancouver 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 Vancouver address.
Check Your Vancouver Address
Enter any Vancouver, WA address to instantly see its FEMA flood zone, risk level, and whether flood insurance is required.
Free Flood Zone LookupVancouver, WA Flood Zone FAQ
What flood zones are in Vancouver, WA?
The most common FEMA flood zones in Vancouver 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 Vancouver?
If your Vancouver 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 Vancouver?
Enter your Vancouver 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 Vancouver?
Vancouver is primarily affected by river and stream overflow during heavy rainfall. The most common FEMA flood zone designations are Zone AE, Zone X. Use the free lookup tool above to check the specific flood zone for any Vancouver address.
Has Vancouver experienced major flooding events?
Clark County, where Vancouver 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, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, and A T in 2016. Federal disaster declarations are issued when flooding overwhelms local resources and triggers FEMA assistance programs.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Vancouver?
Clark County has recorded 161 NFIP flood insurance claims totaling $2.3M in payouts since 1978. The year with the most claims was 1996, with 64 claims and $962K in payouts. These figures cover all NFIP claims in the county, including Vancouver.
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