Ottawa County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ottawa County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Ottawa County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, hail, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 17% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (4th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Ottawa County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1973, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (11), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1973.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 72.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 24 | 13 | 0 | $4.8M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 11.3 | 4 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 36.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 43.9 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 74.9 | 67 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 42.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 54.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 89.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 6.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 7.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 33.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 8.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Ottawa County ranks in the 4th percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 13th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 18th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 14th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 2nd | Very low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 62nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 70th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 51.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 86 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 47 in 2016–20 vs 39 in 2021–25 (-17% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Ottawa County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ottawa County, Kansas are ice storm, hail, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Ottawa County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ottawa County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Ottawa County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Ottawa County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2024), Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Ottawa County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Saline County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Lincoln County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Ottawa County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Ottawa County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ottawa County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Ottawa County's composite score of 17 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 17% of US counties.