Montgomery County Among Highest Flood Risk Areas In America

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — Montgomery County is among the highest risk zones in the United States for riverine flooding, according to a new map and analysis from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The county received a rating of 97 out of 100 in the flooding category, despite receiving very high marks for community resilience and resources.

The tributaries and river basins of the Schuylkill, Delaware, and Susquehanna rivers are all among the most high-risk zones in the nation, according to the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. Together, they comprise massive stretches of eastern and central Pennsylvania and also include some of the highest population zones vulnerable to riverine flooding.

To come up with the rankings and ratings, FEMA analyzed the past 24 years of flood events, the cities and infrastructure built up around rivers, creeks, and streams, the population and ecology, and the resilience of the community based on mitigation measures and emergency response capability.

Other climate disasters considered high risk for Montgomery County are strong wind (98.8 score out of 100) and tornado (95.1).

View the full FEMA map here.