Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Columbia County, WI

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
55021
Release:
2026-10
Data as of:
2026-09-30
Storm Events data through:
2026-06-30

Hazard Plain is an independent product built from public federal data. It is not a FEMA document and is not reviewed or endorsed by FEMA or any state agency.

Hazard Plain release 2026-10, as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: Expired on 2025-08-16. Plan: Columbia County (FEMA plan 106755), approved 2020-08-17.

Since the plan was approved on 2020-08-17: no new hazard declaration and 157 NOAA Storm Events records; details under "What changed since your last plan".

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Hail ($20,536,958 a year), Inland Flooding ($18,806,789) and Cold Wave ($4,982,405).

The tables that follow are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); each heading says which item its tables support.

Plan clock

Status:
Expired on 2025-08-16
Plan:
Columbia County (FEMA plan 106755)
Approved:
2020-08-17
Days since expiry:
410
Update underway:
none recorded in FEMA's plan tracker

Until a new plan is approved, FEMA mitigation project grants (HMGP, FMA) need a FEMA exception (44 CFR 201.6(a)(3)).

What changed since your last plan (approved 2020-08-17)

New federal declarations:
none
Storm Events records since approval:
157 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 3, SRL 1 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 20
Repeat-flood change:
this release sets the baseline count.

Sources: 1, 2, 4, 6 (numbered list at the end)

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county: 15 rows, in the section "Plan clock: Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county" on the following pages.

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

Plan clock

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

Source: 1

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiryNotes
Columbia CountyCountyExpired on 2025-08-16Columbia County (FEMA plan 106755)2020-08-172025-08-16-410
Arlington villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16Columbia County (FEMA plan 106755)2020-08-172025-08-16-410this jurisdiction approved 2020-12-22
Cambria villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16Columbia County (FEMA plan 106755)2020-08-172025-08-16-410this jurisdiction approved 2020-12-22
Columbus cityCityExpired on 2026-02-07Dodge County (FEMA plan 106815)2021-02-082026-02-07-235
Doylestown villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16Columbia County (FEMA plan 106755)2020-08-172025-08-16-410this jurisdiction approved 2020-12-22
Fall River villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16Columbia County (FEMA plan 106755)2020-08-172025-08-16-410this jurisdiction approved 2020-12-22
Friesland villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16Columbia County (FEMA plan 106755)2020-08-172025-08-16-410this jurisdiction approved 2020-12-22
Lodi cityCityExpired on 2025-08-16Columbia County (FEMA plan 106755)2020-08-172025-08-16-410this jurisdiction approved 2020-12-22
Pardeeville villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16Columbia County (FEMA plan 106755)2020-08-172025-08-16-410this jurisdiction approved 2020-12-22
Portage cityCityExpired on 2025-08-16Columbia County (FEMA plan 106755)2020-08-172025-08-16-410this jurisdiction approved 2020-12-22
Poynette villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16Columbia County (FEMA plan 106755)2020-08-172025-08-16-410this jurisdiction approved 2020-12-22
Randolph villageVillageExpired on 2026-02-07Dodge County (FEMA plan 106815)2021-02-082026-02-07-235
Rio villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16Columbia County (FEMA plan 106755)2020-08-172025-08-16-410this jurisdiction approved 2020-12-22
Wisconsin Dells cityCityApproved, expires 2030-07-08Sauk County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2025 (FEMA plan 110968)2025-07-092030-07-081,377this jurisdiction approved 2026-02-18
Wyocena villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16Columbia County (FEMA plan 106755)2020-08-172025-08-16-410this jurisdiction approved 2020-12-22

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a: hazard identification

Hazards NRI does not cover (local data needed)

  • dam failure (incl. upstream dams)
  • levee failure
  • flash flood as its own subtype
  • ice jams
  • debris flows
  • erosion (riverine and coastal)
  • land subsidence and sinkholes
  • expansive soils

The 18 National Risk Index hazards, ranked by expected annual loss (EAL)

Sources: 5, 6

Rank by EALHazardNRI risk ratingEAL ratingEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL total (see note)modeled dollars per yearStorm Events records, 1996 to 2026-06-30countStorm Events coverage note
1HailVery HighVery High$20,286,689$130,636$119,633$20,536,958117
2Inland FloodingRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$18,192,681$577,189$36,919$18,806,78971
3Cold WaveRelatively ModerateRelatively High$112$310$4,981,984$4,982,40540Includes 2 Frost/Freeze records (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition; counted in this table and in B1-d, not in the B1-e descriptor).
4TornadoRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$1,812,126$11,566$1,825,775$3,649,46818
5Heat WaveRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$164$2$1,759,735$1,759,90240
6Strong WindRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$446,695$33,468$687,531$1,167,695227Includes 5 High Wind and 30 Strong Wind records (NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
7LightningRelatively LowRelatively Low$41,666n/a$123,158$164,82411
8Winter WeatherRelatively LowRelatively Moderate$1,906$1,844$73,226$76,976229
9EarthquakeVery LowVery Low$59,550n/a$14,526$74,076Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
10DroughtRelatively LowRelatively Lown/a$67,044n/a$67,04418
11Ice StormRelatively LowRelatively Low$3,140n/a$46,635$49,7751
12WildfireVery LowVery Low$29,971$100$3,974$34,0450No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
13LandslideRelatively LowVery Low$794n/a$7,979$8,7740No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
14HurricaneVery LowVery Low$1,025$1,353under $1$2,3780No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).

Total = buildings + agriculture + population equivalence; FEMA values each expected death (or 10 injuries) at $13.7 million (2024 dollars).

NRI risk rating combines expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience; EAL rating rates expected annual loss alone. Both compare this county with all U.S. counties.

Local data needed: state and local wildfire and landslide records (Storm Events records these hazards only in part).

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b: hazard location

Affects the whole county (national data give no location within it): Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather.

Inland Flooding: The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.

Hazards that vary within the county: highest-rated census tracts

Source: 5

HazardHighest-rated census tractsNRI risk rating, score 0 to 100
Earthquaketract 9712 (Very Low, 28.2); tract 9705 (Very Low, 27.3); tract 9711 (Very Low, 26.7)
Hurricanetract 9701 (Very Low, 28.2); tract 9711 (Very Low, 26.7); tract 9710 (Very Low, 26.6)
Landslidetract 9706 (Relatively Low, 94.7); tract 9708 (Relatively Low, 94.4); tract 9709 (Relatively Low, 92.8)
Tornadotract 9712 (Relatively High, 89.1); tract 9702 (Relatively High, 86.7); tract 9705 (Relatively High, 85.2)
Wildfiretract 9706 (Relatively Low, 82.7); tract 9702 (Relatively Low, 79.8); tract 9710 (Relatively Low, 76.8)

Up to 3 census tracts per hazard, highest National Risk Index rating first, then highest score; a tract number is the Census tract number (for example 9712 is Census Tract 9712). FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool maps the National Risk Index for every tract: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c: hazard extent

Extent: scale, observed range and worst recorded event per hazard

Sources: 6, 7

HazardScaleRecordscount and yearsObserved rangeWorst recorded eventMost damaging (when different)How it applies to jurisdictionsNote
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill38 records, 1996 to 2026 (38 zone-level)1 day to 13 days (median 2 days); 31 with a recorded value13 consecutive days, 2017-12-25 to 2018-01-06, zone-levelCold/Wind Chill, 2007-02-03, $2,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2007 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage2 records, 2016 to 2023 (2 zone-level)No crop damage reported in 2 records.Countywide (zone-level records).
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)18 records, 2002 to 2012 (18 zone-level)11 days to 153 days (median 128 days); 5 with a recorded value153 days (5 months), 2005-07-01 to 2005-11-30, a run of 5 consecutive Storm Events drought records, zone-levelDrought, 2002-08-01, property not reported; $200,000 crops (zone total, 2002 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).Storm Events enters a drought at D2 or worse east of the Rockies and D3 or worse from the Rockies west (NWS Instruction 10-1605); NRI drought counts D3 and D4 only.
EarthquakeModified Mercalli (local data)0Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hailhail size (inches)138 records, 1970 to 20250.75 in to 3 in (median 1 in); 138 with a recorded value3 in hail, 2004-08-03Hail, 2006-06-25, $500,000,000 property; $1,700,000 crops (2006 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Portage city (24 records), Pardeeville village (13 records), Poynette village (13 records), Cambria village (10 records), Rio village (8 records), Arlington village (7 records), Wisconsin Dells city (6 records), Friesland village (5 records), Fall River village (4 records), Lodi city (4 records); and 3 more jurisdictions (see the Excel file).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)40 records, 1998 to 2026 (40 zone-level)1 day to 5 days (median 2 days); 31 with a recorded value5 consecutive days, 2012-07-02 to 2012-07-06, 2 direct deaths, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Heat records from November to March (unseasonable warmth, not a heat wave) are counted but not used for the longest run.
Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical DepressionSaffir-Simpson0Storm Events files every zone of a storm's episode under the storm's type; flooding from the storm is filed as Flood or Flash Flood records.
Ice StormSperry-Piltz ice scale (local data)1 record, 1996 (1 zone-level)No damage reported in 1 record.Countywide (zone-level records).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)71 records, 1996 to 2026 (4 zone-level)Flash Flood, 2008-06-08, $15,660,000 property; $40,000,000 crops (2008 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Portage city (17 records), Lodi city (8 records), Cambria village (3 records), Columbus city (3 records), Pardeeville village (3 records), Wisconsin Dells city (3 records), Fall River village (2 records), Friesland village (2 records), Arlington village (1 record), Poynette village (1 record); and 1 more jurisdiction (see the Excel file). Zone-level records (4) apply countywide.Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Storm Events damage is often $0 or blank for floods, major ones included; FEMA Public Assistance by declaration (B1-d) shows which floods cost the most.
Debris Flownone (count and damage only)0
Lightningannualized frequency (the measure FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Handbook names)11 records, 1996 to 2018Lightning, 2002-06-26, $100,000 property; crops not reported (2002 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Portage city (6 records), Lodi city (1 record), Pardeeville village (1 record), Poynette village (1 record), Rio village (1 record), Wyocena village (1 record).Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties.
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)35 records, 1998 to 2026 (35 zone-level)26 kt (30 mph) to 54 kt (62 mph) (median 41 kt (47 mph)); 31 with a recorded value54 kt (62 mph) measured gust, High Wind, 2005-11-13; NWS zone WIZ057High Wind, 1998-11-10, $500,000 property; $100,000 crops (zone total, 1998 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)240 records, 1973 to 202650 kt (58 mph) to 87 kt (100 mph) (median 52 kt (60 mph)); 168 with a recorded value87 kt (100 mph) estimated gust, Thunderstorm Wind, 2015-07-13Thunderstorm Wind, 1998-05-31, $3,640,000 property; $200,000 crops (1998 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Portage city (41 records), Pardeeville village (28 records), Columbus city (22 records), Wisconsin Dells city (18 records), Arlington village (12 records), Poynette village (11 records), Lodi city (10 records), Wyocena village (10 records), Cambria village (8 records), Friesland village (7 records); and 3 more jurisdictions (see the Excel file).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)37 records, 1951 to 2025F/EF0 to F/EF5 (median F/EF1); 36 with a recorded valueF5 tornado, 1984-06-07, 26 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 450 yd wide, $250,000 property; crops not recorded (1984 dollars)Tornado, 2008-06-07, $2,500,000 property; $500,000 crops (2008 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Cambria village (4 records), Fall River village (3 records), Friesland village (2 records), Portage city (2 records), Poynette village (2 records), Wyocena village (2 records), Arlington village (1 record), Lodi city (1 record), Pardeeville village (1 record), Wisconsin Dells city (1 record).Before 1996 a tornado is listed once, under the county where it began, with its whole path's rating and length; from 1996 on, each county lists its own segment. Length is not used to rank tornadoes (see Methods).
Wildfireacres burned (local data)0
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)229 records, 1996 to 2026 (229 zone-level)Blizzard, 2011-02-01, $10,000 property; $0 crops (2011 dollars); NWS zone WIZ057Countywide (zone-level records).

Where a hazard names more than 10 jurisdictions, the table lists the 10 with the most records; every one is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-c Extent".

In event narratives only (local data needed): wind chill, temperature, heat index, ice thickness, acres burned and snow depth; any physical measure of debris flow and lightning.

Storm Events records are more complete after 1996; before 1996 only Tornado (from 1950), Hail and Thunderstorm Wind (from 1955) exist. Zone-level records from zones that no NWS zone-county file places in this county (mostly before 2020) are not counted here (the Methods page explains the zone matching).

Dollars are nominal (as reported), labeled with the year; not adjusted for inflation.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 11 declarations covering 8 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet (declarations for the same incident count once; non-natural and evacuation-only declarations are not counted).

Federal disaster declarations for this county

Sources: 1, 2, 3

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazardCounty Public Assistancefederal share obligated, nominal dollarsFlagsNotes
2020-04-042020-01-20DR-4520-WIMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedin the 12 months before plan approval
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3454-WIEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedin the 12 months before plan approvalsame incident as DR-4520
2008-06-142008-06-05DR-1768-WIMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingInland Flooding; Tornado$3,960,312.63
2007-08-262007-08-18DR-1719-WIMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland FloodingPA not declared for this county
2005-09-132005-08-29EM-3249-WIEmergencyHurricane Katrina EvacuationHurricane: evacuation support, not a local hazard event; not countedno Public Assistance recorded
2004-06-182004-05-07DR-1526-WIMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland Flooding$2,028,473.69
2001-01-242000-12-11EM-3163-WIEmergencySnowWinter Weather$119,873
2000-06-242000-05-26DR-1332-WIMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingInland Flooding; Tornado$112,740
1993-07-021993-06-07DR-994-WIMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingInland Flooding; Tornadono Public Assistance recorded
1976-06-171976-06-17EM-3014-WIEmergencyDroughtDroughtno Public Assistance recorded
1976-03-231976-03-23DR-496-WIMajor disasterSevere Storms, Icing, Wind & FloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded

County Public Assistance: applicants the FEMA record places in this county, including any state agencies FEMA files there; statewide rows are listed on the state page; federal share obligated, nominal dollars.

Public Assistance filed under this county for declarations that do not list it: 4 rows, $27,686.06

Sources: 2, 3

FEMA numberDeclaredTitleApplicantPA obligatedfederal share obligated, nominal dollars
DR-4288-WI2016-10-20Severe Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesNEW HAVEN (TOWN OF)$11,136.11
DR-4288-WI2016-10-20Severe Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesDELL PRAIRIE (TOWN OF)$8,621.66
DR-1966-WI2011-04-05Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormRandolph, Village of$4,505.77
EM-3285-WI2008-03-19Record Snow and Near Record SnowRandolph, Village of$3,422.52

FEMA's Public Assistance summaries file these applicants under this county, but FEMA's declaration rows for these disasters do not designate it (an electric cooperative or district serving several counties, for example). Not in any declaration row above and not counted.

Public Assistance not placed in any Wisconsin county: 1 row, $87,788.41; listed on the Wisconsin state page.

Source: 3

Previous occurrences by hazard, with explicit no-event rows

Sources: 2, 6, 7

HazardStorm Events records, all years on file(years in the Period column)Since plan approvalrecordsIn the 12 months before plan approvalrecordsLast 5 yearsrecordsDeclared incidents, all yearsseparate disastersDeclared since approvalseparate disastersPeriodStatement
Cold Wave40907001996 to 2026-06-30Includes 2 Frost/Freeze records.
Drought18000101996 to 2026-06-30
Earthquake000000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail13817014001955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave40808001996 to 2026-06-30
Hurricane0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Ice Storm1000001996 to 2026-06-30
Inland Flooding7117715601996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Lightning11000001996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind27543535001955 to 2026-06-30Includes 5 High Wind and 30 Strong Wind records.
Tornado37301301950 to 2026-06-30
Wildfire0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Winter Weather22960951101996 to 2026-06-30

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationWhy listed
2017-12-25Cold/Wind Chillproperty not reported; $0 crops (zone total, 2017 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WIZ057 (COLUMBIA), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
2016-02-04Cold/Wind Chill$0 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2016 dollars)1, 0NWS zone WIZ057 (COLUMBIA), zone-leveldeaths or injuries recorded
2015-07-13Thunderstorm Wind87 kt (100 mph) estimated gust$1,000,000 property; crops not reported (2015 dollars)0, 0COLUMBUSB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind
2012-07-02Excessive Heatdamage not reported2, 0NWS zone WIZ057 (COLUMBIA), zone-leveldeaths or injuries recorded
2011-02-01Blizzard$10,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2011 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WIZ057 (COLUMBIA), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleet
2008-06-08Flash Flood$15,660,000 property; $40,000,000 crops (2008 dollars)0, 0OKEE to LODIB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
2005-11-13High Wind54 kt (62 mph) measured gust$10,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 2005 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WIZ057 (COLUMBIA), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
2005-07-01Droughtdamage not reported0, 0NWS zone WIZ057 (COLUMBIA), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Drought
2004-08-03Hail3 in$6,000,000 property; $1,000,000 crops (2004 dollars)0, 0RIOB1-c worst recorded: Hail
2002-06-26Lightning$100,000 property; crops not reported (2002 dollars)0, 0PARDEEVILLEB1-c worst recorded: Lightning
1984-06-07TornadoF5, 26 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 450 yd wide$250,000 property; crops not recorded (1984 dollars)0, 0location not recordedB1-c worst recorded: Tornado
1951-09-26TornadoF4, 9 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 100 yd wide$250,000 property; crops not recorded (1951 dollars)1, 9location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (860 rows).

Location is the place NOAA recorded, as written in its data; it need not be a jurisdiction in this plan.

1 Fire Management declaration (1980-04-24 to 1980-04-24) FEMA filed as Statewide with no county; each names one local fire. Listed on the state page.

Local data needed: state-declared emergencies, from your state emergency management agency (federal data do not include them).

Tribal and special-area declarations in this state are listed on the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e: probability of future events

Probability: FEMA annualized frequency and descriptor per hazard

Sources: 5, 6

HazardFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)unit per rowUnitIn plain termsDescriptorDescriptor basisNRI events or days in its record period (hail, wind and tornado are area-weighted, so can be fractional)NRI periodLocationNote
Cold Wave5.95event-days per yearabout 5.95 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 20 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (66.7%)1132005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought2.46event-days per yearabout 2.46 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 5 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (16.7%)842000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywide
Earthquake0.00053annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.053%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail3.64events per yearabout 3.64 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)138.2 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave2.79event-days per yearabout 2.79 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 17 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (56.7%)402005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Hurricane0.00757events per yearabout 1 in 132 yearsUnlikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)01851 to 2024 (Atlantic)see B1-fNRI counts hurricane and tropical storm tracks passing within storm-force wind range; federal declarations are in B1-d.
Ice Storm0.427event-days per yearabout 0.427 days per yearPossibleStorm Events event-days in 1 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (3.33%)291946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding1.96event-days per yearabout 1.96 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 22 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (73.3%)551996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide0.161events per year (modeled)about 1 in 6 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning35.5days per year with a strikeabout 35.5 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind3.82events per yearabout 3.82 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)1461986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.584events per yearabout 0.58 per yearLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Wildfire0.000292annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.0292%Storm Events records in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor: no Storm Events record 1996 to 2025
Winter Weather15.5event-days per yearabout 15.5 days per yearHighly likelyStorm Events event-days in 29 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (96.7%)2952005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) is the National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) estimate of how often a hazard affects this county in a year; it is not recorded events divided by years, and its unit differs by hazard (events, event-days, or days with a lightning strike per year). For earthquake, wildfire, coastal flooding and tsunami the value is the chance (or number of events) at a location in the county, not across the county, so no "1 in N years" is given and the descriptor comes from Storm Events where it has a record (none for earthquake). The Methods page gives each hazard's method, from FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation v1.20.

Where NRI gives event-days, the descriptor comes from the share of years with a Storm Events record; NRI's source records more events, so the two differ.

Descriptor scale used in this packet (defined per unit)

Sources: 5, 6

UnitDescriptorDefinition
events per yearHighly likely1 or more per year
events per yearLikelyabout once in 1 to 10 years
events per yearPossibleabout once in 10 to 100 years
events per yearUnlikelyless than once in 100 years
annual probabilityLikely10% to under 100% chance in a given year
annual probabilityPossible1% to under 10% chance in a given year
annual probabilityUnlikelyunder 1% chance in a given year
event-days (share of years)Highly likelyevent-days recorded in 90% or more of years
event-days (share of years)Likelyevent-days recorded in 10% to under 90% of years
event-days (share of years)Possibleevent-days recorded in some years but under 10% of years
lightning strike-daysHighly likelycloud-to-ground strikes on 1 or more days per year

Intensity bands: historical frequency (Storm Events)

Source: 6

HazardBandYearsEventscounty-coded recordsYears in periodEvents per yearevents / years
Hail1.00-1.99 in1996 to 202556301.87
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 20251300.0333
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 2025134304.47
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 202518300.6
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 202534301.13
TornadoEF0-11996 to 202515300.5
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20252300.0667
TornadoEF4-51996 to 20250300
Tornadounrated (EFU)1996 to 20251300.0333

The bands show how often events of each severity were recorded in this county, to profile how severe events have been (FEMA's probability item asks for the range of intensities).

Hail smaller than 1 inch is not counted: on 2010-01-05 the National Weather Service raised its severe-hail threshold from 3/4 inch to 1 inch, so smaller reports became less common after 2009 (NWS Service Change Notice 09-52). NRI hail frequency uses a 0.75 inch threshold.

Optional: future conditions. Not a required item in the 2025 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide; some states ask for it. The federal Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) site gives county exposure to future climate conditions (https://resilience.climate.gov/).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f: hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk within the county

Source: 5

HazardTractsrated of allNRI risk score, 0 to 100Tracts by rating
MinMedianMax
Cold Wave13 of 1386.292.895.4Very High 1, Relatively High 12
Drought13 of 1372.884.488.9Relatively Low 10, Very Low 3
Earthquake13 of 1312.117.228.2Very Low 13
Hail13 of 1399.899.999.9Very High 13
Heat Wave13 of 1374.985.589.6Relatively High 7, Relatively Moderate 6
Hurricane13 of 1316.222.328.2Very Low 13
Ice Storm13 of 136.946.155.0Relatively Low 10, Very Low 3
Inland Flooding13 of 1328.285.797.8Very High 2, Relatively High 6, Relatively Moderate 4, Relatively Low 1
Landslide13 of 1360.484.994.7Relatively Low 9, Very Low 4
Lightning13 of 1340.451.759.3Relatively Moderate 9, Relatively Low 4
Strong Wind13 of 1379.988.892.4Relatively High 12, Relatively Moderate 1
Tornado13 of 1371.882.689.1Relatively High 12, Relatively Moderate 1
Wildfire13 of 1354.873.482.7Relatively Low 9, Very Low 4
Winter Weather13 of 1358.370.776.1Relatively Moderate 13

Drought: Agriculture is all of NRI's expected annual loss for this hazard in the county, so the tract range mostly reflects where crop and livestock value is.

Rated tracts only: No Rating (score 0.0), Not Applicable and Insufficient Data tracts are counted but not used for the minimum, median and maximum.

The score ranks a tract against all U.S. tracts (100 = highest). The rating is FEMA's category for the tract's risk value, computed differently, so the two can disagree.

Frequency data for cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, lightning, strong wind and winter weather are county-wide or coarse (49 km grid or NWS zone), the same for every jurisdiction; the tract range mostly reflects where buildings and people are (crop and livestock value where a line above names agriculture).

Each jurisdiction (starting figures from federal data)

Sources: 1, 3, 4, 6

JurisdictionTypePlan statusRepetitive lossFMA RL and SRL (44 CFR 77.2); repeat-flood, any definitionPublic Assistance to this jurisdictionFEMA records matched by applicant name; federal share obligated, nominal dollarsEvent records naming this placeall years; since its plan
Columbia CountyCountyExpired on 2025-08-16FMA RL 2, SRL 1; any 13$67,089.750 total; 0 since its plan
Arlington villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$3,241.6521 total; 4 since its plan
Cambria villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$1,276,395.8425 total; 1 since its plan
Columbus cityCityExpired on 2026-02-07FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$181,664.7328 total; 6 since its plan
Doylestown villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded3 total; 3 since its plan
Fall River villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$359,645.7015 total; 5 since its plan
Friesland villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$816.5116 total; 3 since its plan
Lodi cityCityExpired on 2025-08-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$22,524.9924 total; 3 since its plan
Pardeeville villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$234,954.1046 total; 7 since its plan
Portage cityCityExpired on 2025-08-16FMA RL 1, SRL 0; any 7$153,459.2090 total; 11 since its plan
Poynette villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$26,900.9928 total; 4 since its plan
Randolph villageVillageExpired on 2026-02-07FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$167,992.350 total; 0 since its plan
Rio villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$97216 total; 2 since its plan
Wisconsin Dells cityCityApproved, expires 2030-07-08FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded28 total; 0 since its plan
Wyocena villageVillageExpired on 2025-08-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$317,796.9516 total; 2 since its plan

Repetitive-loss counts are for whole NFIP communities, which can extend beyond this county (see the note in B2-c).

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b: vulnerability and potential impacts

Local data needed

The table below gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

County-level starter: exposure, expected annual loss and damage since the plan

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

HazardBuilding exposuremodeled dollarsAgriculture exposuremodeled dollarsPopulation exposedpeopleEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL as % of exposurebuildings; agriculture where notedStorm Events damage since 2020-08-17county-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Cold Wave$17,691,630,582$286,164,21058,373$112$310$4,981,984under 0.0001%$0
Droughtn/a$117,153,915n/an/a$67,044n/a0.0572% (agriculture)NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$30,618,373,926n/a58,490$59,550n/a$14,5260.000194%
Hail$17,691,630,582$286,164,21058,373$20,286,689$130,636$119,6330.115%$0
Heat Wave$17,691,630,582$286,164,21058,373$164$2$1,759,735under 0.0001%$0
Hurricane$17,691,630,582$286,164,21058,373$1,025$1,353under $1under 0.0001%
Ice Storm$17,682,624,949n/a58,320$3,140n/a$46,635under 0.0001%
Inland Flooding$17,653,141,299$14,880,7401,541$18,192,681$577,189$36,919n/a (see note)$210,500NRI counts the full building value of any census block with some flood loss; this is not the value of buildings in the floodplain. Use local FIRM overlays for B2-a/B2-b.
Landslide$313,079,477n/a1,047$794n/a$7,9790.000254%
Lightning$17,691,630,582n/a58,373$41,666n/a$123,1580.000236%
Strong Wind$17,691,630,582$286,164,21058,373$446,695$33,468$687,5310.00252%$357,000$15,000Storm Events damage since the plan includes 1 zone-level High Wind record ($3,000) and 2 zone-level Strong Wind records ($12,000): NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition.
Tornado$17,691,630,582$286,164,21058,373$1,812,126$11,566$1,825,7750.0102%$500,000
Wildfire$1,385,203,250$44,787,9128,779$29,971$100$3,9740.00216%
Winter Weather$17,691,630,582$286,164,21058,373$1,906$1,844$73,226under 0.0001%$19,000

Totals since 2020-08-17 (Storm Events through 2026-06-30): 77 county-coded records, 71 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $1,067,500; 80 zone-level records, 80 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $34,000 reported for the zone; Public Assistance: no counted declaration since the plan.

FEMA does not split Public Assistance by hazard. A declaration mapped to several hazards is listed under each of them with its full amount, so the per-hazard column does not add up to the total; the unit total counts each declaration once.

NRI computes earthquake exposure on its own basis, so it exceeds the county building value in B2-a.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a: vulnerability (county context)

County context

Source: 5

MeasureValue
Population58,373
Building value (total, not at risk)$17,691,630,582
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$286,164,210
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Relatively Moderate
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$41,700,032
Expected annual loss, population equivalence, all hazards (NRI values each statistical life at $13.7M; a modeled value of expected deaths and injuries, not property damage)$9,681,077
Social vulnerability ratingRelatively Low
Community resilience ratingVery High
NRI versionDecember 2025

FEMA's all-hazard expected annual loss adds buildings, agriculture and population equivalence; this table gives the property part and the population-equivalence part as separate rows.

Social vulnerability: higher means people are more likely to be harmed and slower to recover. Community resilience: lower means the community is less able to recover. High social vulnerability and low resilience both raise the NRI risk rating.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c: repetitive loss properties

Repetitive loss in this county, both definitions

Sources: 1, 4

DefinitionPropertiesSevere repetitive lossProperties
Repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)3Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)1
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition19Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition1

The state NFIP coordinator's list, the source FEMA's Handbook names, often uses the NFIP insurance definition (second row).

Repeat-flood properties: county and state-level rows

Sources: 1, 4

ScopeRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
County total311912003
of which: Portage city1060701
of which: Columbia County (unincorporated area)211311302
Statewide, no county in FEMA's file0020200

The statewide row counts properties FEMA's file gives with no county in this state; they are listed for reference and are not in this county's counts.

Repeat-flood properties by jurisdiction in the plan (NFIP community)

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
Columbia County550581211311302
Arlington village5500270000000
Cambria village5500570000000
Columbus city5500580000000
Doylestown village5500590000000
Fall River village5500600000000
Friesland village5500700000000
Lodi city5500610000000
Pardeeville village5500620000000
Portage city5500631060701
Poynette village5500640000000
Randolph village5500720000000
Rio village5500080000000
Wisconsin Dells city5500650000000
Wyocena village5500660000000

Counts by occupancy group for each jurisdiction are in the Excel file, sheet "B2-c Jurisdictions".

Jurisdiction rows are whole NFIP communities and need not add up to the county total: a community that extends into another county is counted in full on each jurisdiction row, while the county table counts only its part in this county.

County repeat-flood properties by occupancy group

Sources: 1, 4

Occupancy groupRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
single-family residential311912003
2 to 4 unit residential0000000
other residential0000000
non-residential0000000
not reported0000000

FEMA's occupancy groups have no institutional class; institutional properties are counted in non-residential or other residential in the table by occupancy group.

FMA RL and FMA SRL are the Flood Mitigation Assistance definitions (44 CFR 77.2), the ones the FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide cites. NFIP repetitive loss (the FEMA insurance definition) is 2 or more claims over $1,000 in 10 years, and a property can leave that group once it is mitigated. Also shown: NFIP severe repetitive loss, any category, mitigated and currently insured. The Methods page gives the OpenFEMA field details.

Counts are aggregates of FEMA's public NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (FEMA's data date 2026-08-02; file version 2026-08-04). No property is identified. County assignment is FEMA's geocode.

In this county 1 property is FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 17 properties are NFIP repetitive loss but not FMA repetitive loss.

Exact counts; no count suppression.

Sources

Tables cite these sources by number. The full list, for the plan's bibliography (FEMA review item A4-a):

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA HazardMitigationPlanStatuses v1, version 2026-09-29T134039Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/HazardMitigationPlanStatuses (API)
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, version 2026-09-29T162832Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries (API)
  3. FEMA, OpenFEMA PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries v1, version 2026-09-29T150754Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries (API)
  4. FEMA, OpenFEMA NfipMultipleLossProperties v1, version 2026-08-04T164045Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/NfipMultipleLossProperties (API)
  5. FEMA, FEMA National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025), county and census tract tables, version 1.20.0, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_Counties.zip (download, 25 MB), https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_CensusTracts.zip (download, 635 MB)
  6. NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, details files (csvfiles v1.0), version c20260918, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/csvfiles/
  7. NOAA National Weather Service, NWS county-public forecast zones correlation file, version bp03mr20 to bp16ap26 (11 files; newest bp16ap26), pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.weather.gov/gis/ZoneCounty
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2024 Gazetteer, 2020 place by county, CT county-to-cousub crosswalk, version 2024-gazetteer, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_counties_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_cousubs_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_place_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_unsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_elsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_scsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/national_place_by_county2020.txt, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ct_change/ct_cou_to_cousub_crosswalk.xlsx (used to match place names and codes; no table prints its values)

What this packet is and what the plan adds

This packet is the federal data for the plan's risk assessment (the summary on page 1 says how it is organized); the plan and FEMA's review decide whether each item is met.

The plan adds what only the community has: local data on assets, critical facilities, development and each jurisdiction's impacts; local hazard history, including state-declared emergencies; the mitigation strategy; and adoption.

How the federal data are built: National Risk Index values are FEMA's model, not counts of events. Storm Events is more complete from 1996; zone-level records are placed by forecast zone, not by location in the county. Public Assistance for a jurisdiction is matched by applicant name. The Methods page gives every rule and the known edge cases.

OpenFEMA disclaimer

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Reuse, citation and corrections

Reuse and citation: Hazard Plain text and tables are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); credit Hazard Plain and the release. The underlying federal data are public domain; OpenFEMA data are also subject to the OpenFEMA terms and conditions.

Cite this: Hazard Plain (2026). Columbia County, WI: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 55021). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/wi/55021/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Corrections: to report an error, name the packet, the table and what your records show. Contact: contact@hazardplain.org