The deadly flooding near Kerrville, Texas, that killed at least 136 people and caused widespread devastation has brought attention to major flooding.
Some Mirror Indy readers wanted to know whether a disaster like that could happen here.
The truth is — it’s already happened, and changes to how rain falls in the state means it could happen again.
Mirror Indy spoke to Indianapolis floodplain administrator Alena Jones about how residents can find out if they’re at risk of flooding and what the city has done to reduce that risk.
Here’s what we found out.
Has Indianapolis experienced major flooding?
The worst flooding in Indianapolis happened during the Great Flood of 1913.
Five days of heavy rainfall in late March 1913 flooded waterways from Connecticut to Indiana, killing up to 200 people in Indiana and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage.
Floodwater was believed to have reached 31.5 feet in downtown Indianapolis. No one knows for sure because the gauge washed away at 29.5 feet.
Most of the flood damage in Indianapolis was due to the failure of a levee built on the west bank of the White River, which allowed 15-foot floodwaters to enter the West Indianapolis and Stringtown neighborhoods. At least 4,000 homes were destroyed in a 6 square-mile area, and the Washington Street Bridge that connected the neighborhoods to downtown Indianapolis was destroyed.
Warnings from the U.S. Weather Bureau, now the National Weather Service, gave people time to evacuate their homes. Officially, only five Indianapolis residents died during the flood, but the actual number could be higher.
After the rain stopped, the misery continued. About 8 inches of snow fell on the city and floodwaters fell to below-freezing temperatures.
In the century since the flood, local, state and federal agencies built a levee system, the Geist and Eagle Creek reservoirs, and other infrastructure to reduce the effect of future flooding events.
Can it happen again?
Jones said a major flooding event like what happened in 1913 is unlikely but not impossible. That has to do mainly with the way climate change has affected rainfall amounts and the way rain falls.
In 2018, Purdue University led a major study on how climate change affects the state. The Indiana Climate Change Impacts Assessment found that annual rainfall in the state has increased by about 5.6 inches over 130 years, and the way that rain falls has changed from steady throughout the year to shorter, heavier downpours.
That has increased the risk of flooding throughout the state.
According to National Weather Service data, Indianapolis has experienced flooding with increasing regularity. Major flooding has happened in seven of the last 25 years.
What areas are at risk of flooding?
Jones said Indianapolis residents living in areas like Ravenswood and Rocky Ripple that are near waterways are most likely to experience flooding.
Neighbors might notice more standing water in their yards or the river inching up closer to their home each year.
“Normally, if an area is more prone to flooding,” Jones said, “You’re going to see signs of that.”
But other areas, like those with poorly drained soils and older drainage systems, could also face flooding during heavy rainfall.
“We might see flooding in places where we hadn’t seen it before, just because old infrastructure was designed for conditions that no longer exist,” Jones said.
A series of levees were built along the White River and its tributaries, like Eagle Creek and Fall Creek, to protect portions of the city from flooding. They can be found in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ National Levee Database.
Portions of the city’s trail system, like Eagle Creek Trail and the Central Canal Towpath, align with levees, allowing cyclists to ride atop them. In some places, like White River Parkway Drive West, the levee system is a little less obvious.
The 2-mile levee portion stretches from about 14th Street to just north of Raymond Street and protects about 8,240 people and about $2 billion of property from flooding.
How can I tell if I live in a flood zone?
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Indiana’s Department of Natural Resources have searchable maps people can use to find out if they live in a flood zone.
FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer and DNR’s Indiana Floodplain Information Portal let people type in their addresses to see how close to a flood zone they may be.
The city uses the maps as part of its permitting process. If a property is inside a flood zone, the city will require alterations like higher elevation requirements and flood protection grades.
About 18% of Marion County is in the 100-year and 500-year floodplains of the White River and other waterways. That means these properties have a 1-in-100 and a 1-in-500 chance of a flood happening in any given year.
Many homes in floodways today were built before laws existed to prevent their construction.
“If someone asked ‘Can I build it there?’ today, we would say no,” Jones said of the floodways. “The reason is because we don’t want to increase the risk to people or build homes that might be in an area where it could be swept away.”
But Jones wants people to know that flood zone determinations are not permanent. Changes upstream can affect the flow of water downstream. Because of that, flood maps are updated about once a decade.
But, due to climate change, flood maps may not be as accurate as they once were.
“What used to be 100-year floods sometimes are now happening at much shorter intervals,” Jones said. “They’re actually happening at 20-year intervals, or even less.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has begun updating the models it uses to determine which parts of the U.S. coastline will face flooding. Eventually, the agency could update its models for inland areas, but planned Trump administration budget cuts to NOAA climate, weather and ocean programs could prevent that from happening.
Who is required to have flood insurance?
You aren’t legally required to buy flood insurance if you already own a home in a flood zone, but some lenders may require the insurance if you plan to buy, build or improve a structure in a flood zone.
The Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 requires insurance if you’re seeking financing from a federally insured or regulated bank to build in a 100-year flood zone, also known as a Special Flood Hazard Area.
And, some lenders may require flood insurance even if the property isn’t in a high risk area.
You’re also required to have flood insurance if you’ve received federal disaster assistance and want to qualify again.
“Most homeowners’ insurance policies don’t cover floods,” Jones said. “Flood insurance, particularly non-public flood insurance, can be really expensive.”
According to NerdWallet, the average cost of flood insurance in Indiana is $962 a year, or about $80 per month. But, rates vary based on your distance to a source of flooding, the type of coverage you’re seeking and anticipated replacement costs.
But Jones said the cost is worthwhile. FEMA estimates that an inch of floodwater can result in $25,000 worth of damage to an average 2,500-square-foot, one-story home.
Who can I contact if I have questions about flooding?
The federal Ready website has information about how to prepare for natural disasters like floods and other emergencies, and FEMA’s website has information about the National Flood Insurance Program.
Jones said her office has a special email account, flood@indy.gov, to directly answer people’s questions about flooding. Her team can help with everything from figuring out if you’re in a flood zone to learning about flood regulations that may affect construction.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Mirror Indy reporter Enrique Saenz covers west Indianapolis. Contact him at 317-983-4203 or enrique.saenz@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on Bluesky at @enriquesaenz.bsky.social.
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