Douglas County Courthouse · Photo: Williamborg 02:04, 16 June 2008 (UTC) · Public domainMore hazard damage per building is expected in Waterville than in 93% of U.S. towns, mostly from river and rain flooding
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Waterville gets a D for hazard risk: higher expected damage per building than 93% of U.S. towns. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (55%), then wildfire (41%). 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 Waterville 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
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 Waterville’s grade
River and rain flooding is 55% of the building damage FEMA expects in Waterville, and Waterville’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is higher than 89% of U.S. census tracts. Wildfire adds 41%, at a rate in the top 1% of U.S. census tracts.
D higher expected damage per building than 93% of U.S. towns (21,298).
All of Waterville’s residents live in one census tract; the figures are that tract’s.
In dollars, FEMA expects about $2.0M a year in losses across Waterville: $965K to buildings, the rest to people and crops.
Does Waterville flood? No paid flood claims on record
FEMA’s records show no paid flood insurance claims in Waterville. That’s not a promise: most homes don’t carry flood insurance, so small floods go unrecorded.
Waterville isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Douglas County.The storms Waterville remembers
None of the 8 disasters declared for Douglas County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Waterville itself in FEMA’s records, so these are its biggest flood-claim years.
Douglas County has had 8 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then floods. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Also 8 FEMA wildfire suppression grants (Fire Management Assistance, not a disaster declaration) for fires in Douglas County, 2004–2020.
Get ready for what Waterville 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.
- 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 Waterville
Is Waterville at risk for natural disasters?
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Waterville has higher expected damage per building than 93% of U.S. towns: D for hazard risk. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (55%) and wildfire (41%). The figures are for the one census tract the town shares with its neighbors. This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.
Is Waterville 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 Douglas County, 0.2% of all homes carry federal flood insurance.
How much is flood insurance in Waterville?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Waterville’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.
Is Waterville at risk from river and rain flooding?
It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (55%), and Waterville’s rate for it is higher than 89% of U.S. census tracts.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Waterville.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Waterville’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.