First Territorial Capitol · Photo: David von Riesen · Public domainFEMA expects more hazard damage per building in Smoky Hill Township than in 72% of U.S. towns, mostly from river and rain flooding
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Smoky Hill Township gets a C for hazard risk: higher expected damage per building than 72% of U.S. towns, #128 of 151 in Kansas. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (68%), then tornadoes (13%). FEMA’s files show no paid flood insurance claims here.
Graded on FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value (NRI v1.20, December 2025), weighted by where residents live; flood claims are shown, not graded. How hazard risk is graded
What Smoky Hill Township 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
Tornadoes
Wildfire
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.
What’s behind Smoky Hill Township’s grade
River and rain flooding is 68% of the building damage FEMA expects in Smoky Hill Township, and Smoky Hill Township’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is higher than 79% of U.S. census tracts. Wildfire adds 9%, at a rate in the top 6% of U.S. census tracts.
C #128 of 151 in Kansas; higher expected damage per building than 72% of U.S. towns (21,298).
Smoky Hill Township’s residents live in 7 census tracts; FEMA’s figures are combined by where they live.
The typical Kansas town has higher expected damage than 54% of U.S. towns; within the state, Smoky Hill Township has more expected damage per building than 85% of Kansas towns.
In dollars, FEMA expects about $3.3M a year in losses across Smoky Hill Township: $1.3M to buildings, the rest to people and crops.
Does Smoky Hill Township flood? No paid flood claims on record
FEMA’s records show no paid flood insurance claims in Smoky Hill Township. That’s not a promise: most homes don’t carry flood insurance, so small floods go unrecorded.
Smoky Hill Township isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Geary County.The storms Smoky Hill Township remembers
None of the 12 disasters declared for Geary County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Smoky Hill Township itself in FEMA’s records, so these are its biggest flood-claim years.
Geary County has had 12 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.
Smoky Hill Township and its neighbors
Smoky Hill Township is 5th of the 6 graded towns here, from least expected damage per building to most. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Township | A−less damage than 82% | river and rain flooding | — |
| Milford Township | Bless damage than 60% | river and rain flooding | — |
| Junction City | B−more damage than 50% | river and rain flooding | 17 |
| Noble Township | Cmore damage than 70% | river and rain flooding | — |
| Smoky Hill Township | Cmore damage than 72% | river and rain flooding | 0 |
| Jefferson Township | C−more damage than 82% | river and rain flooding | 13 |
| Lyon Township | — | 330 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
| Fragrant Hill Township | — | 445 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.
Get ready for what Smoky Hill Township faces
A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.
- 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.
- Pick your spot now: the lowest floor, an inside room, no windows.
- A watch means be ready; a warning means take cover now.
- Keep shoes and a flashlight by the bed.
- Clear dead leaves and brush within 5 feet of the house.
- Sign up for local alerts and know two ways out.
- Keep N95 masks for smoky days.
- Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
- Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
- Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.
Questions about natural hazards in Smoky Hill Township
Is Smoky Hill Township at risk for natural disasters?
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Smoky Hill Township has higher expected damage per building than 72% of U.S. towns: C for hazard risk, #128 of 151 in Kansas. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (68%) and tornadoes (13%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.
Is Smoky Hill Township 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 Geary County, 6% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.4% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in Smoky Hill Township?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Smoky Hill Township’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.
Is Smoky Hill Township at risk from river and rain flooding?
It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (68%), and Smoky Hill Township’s rate for it is higher than 79% of U.S. census tracts.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Smoky Hill Township.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Smoky Hill Township’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.