Storms, floods and disasters in Gem Township
Gem Township isn’t graded for hazard risk: Gem Township has 245 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1997.
What Gem 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
Strong wind
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.
Does Gem Township flood? Sometimes: 12 flood claims since 1997
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Gem Township, from FEMA’s records.
Gem 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: Brown County.The storms Gem Township remembers
None of the 16 disasters declared for Brown County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Gem Township itself in FEMA’s records, so these are its biggest flood-claim years.
- 19976 flood claims paidThe year of Severe Flooding, Sever Winter Storms,heavy Rains High Winds, declared for Brown County
- 20074 flood claims paidThe year of Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding, declared for Brown County
- 20101 flood claims paidThe year of Flooding, declared for Brown County
Brown County has had 16 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often floods, then severe storms. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Old photos of Gem Township after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Gem Township archive →Gem Township and its neighbors
How expected damage per building compares across the town line. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bath Township | — | 446 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
| West Hanson Township | — | 11 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
| Warner Township | — | 282 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 Gem 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.
- Trim dead limbs over the house and driveway.
- Tie down trash cans and outdoor furniture.
- Stay clear of downed lines and call the utility.
- 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 Gem Township
Does Gem Township flood?
Flood insurance has paid 12 claims in Gem Township since 1997, $176K in all.
Is Gem 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 Brown County, 8% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.7% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in Gem Township?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Gem Township’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Gem Township.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Gem 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.