Rice Family Cemetery · Photo: Valis55 · CC BY-SA 4.0

–Not graded

Natural hazards in Gould · FEMA

Storms, floods and disasters in Gould

Gould isn’t graded for hazard risk: Gould has 661 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more. Flood insurance has paid 15 claims here since 1979.

Flood claims

paid since 1979 · $248K

Flooded more than once

properties · 1 “severe repetitive loss”

Disasters paid out here

of 19 declared for Lincoln County

By hazard

What Gould faces

Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.

River and rain flooding

66%of expected building damage

Above average · higher than 78% of U.S. census tracts

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

14%of expected building damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. census tracts

Tornadoes

10%of expected building damage

Well above average · in the top 8% of U.S. census tracts

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Smaller shares here

Strong wind Ice storms top 4% Hurricanes Hail Winter storms Lightning Cold waves Wildfire Heat waves Landslides

FEMA models no building damage here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

People, not buildings.Counting harm to people as well as buildings, FEMA’s model puts drought at 18% of Gould’s expected losses. Drought does little damage to buildings (0.0%), so they aren’t part of the grade.

Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.

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 Gould flood? Sometimes: 15 flood claims since 1979

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

Paid flood claims, by year

200920112021

19792026

Biggest named events

The Mid-spring storms3 claims · $21K

paid claims since 1979

$248K

paid to owners

homes flooded more than once

$17K

average claim

Homes that flooded again and again

FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1)Flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones are insured

of all homes are insured

No community discount

Gould isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Lincoln County.

Disasters

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Gould

Disasters that paid out in Gould itself (aid to households or repair grants to the City of Gould), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.

2019Severe Storms and Flooding15 households applied for aid$116K aid approved
2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding$2K to the City of Gould for repairs
2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated Flooding186 households applied for aid$95K aid approved$58K to the City of Gould for repairs3 flood claims paid that year
2009Severe Storms and Flooding$90K to the City of Gould for repairs3 flood claims paid that year
2000Severe Winter Ice Storm$63K to the City of Gould for repairs

Disasters declared, by decade

Paid out in GouldLincoln County only

Lincoln County has had 19 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then winter storms. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.

Were you here?

Old photos of Gould after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Gould archive →

Be ready

Get ready for what Gould faces

A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.

When the river rises

Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.

Questions about natural hazards in Gould

Does Gould flood?

Flood insurance has paid 15 claims in Gould since 1979, $248K in all. 4 properties have flooded more than once. The most claims came from Mid-spring storms (3).

Is Gould in a flood zone?

Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Lincoln County, 8% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 1.3% of all homes do.

How much is flood insurance in Gould?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Gould’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.

What was the biggest storm in Gould?

By FEMA money that reached Gould, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated Flooding (2011): 186 households applied for aid, $95K approved, and $58K to the City of Gould for repairs. By flood claims, Mid-spring storms: 3 paid, $21K.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Gould.

Town Square →

Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Gould’s residents lived in the 2020 census; 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. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.

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