Independence County, AR Environment & Hazard Risk

• Ice stormVery High$2.4M/yr expected annual loss, about 1.3 events a year
• EarthquakeRelatively Low$4.5M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 139 years
• TornadoRelatively Moderate$5.8M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
• Heat waveRelatively Low$1.1M/yr expected annual loss, about 14 events a year
• Cold waveRelatively Moderate$2M/yr expected annual loss, about 1.7 events a year
• WildfireRelatively Low$155K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 473 years
• Winter weatherRelatively Moderate$104K/yr expected annual loss, about 7.3 events a year
• LandslideRelatively Low$3,404/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
• LightningRelatively Moderate$296K/yr expected annual loss, about 58 events a year
• DroughtRelatively Low$227K/yr expected annual loss, about 7.0 events a year
• HurricaneVery Low$66.4K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 40 years
• Strong windRelatively Low$471K/yr expected annual loss, about 2.4 events a year
• HailRelatively Low$186K/yr expected annual loss, about 4.1 events a year

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: avalanche, coastal flooding, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

60 of 11,317 (0.5%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

607

Insured in high-risk zones

53 (9%)

Flood claims since 1978

187

Claims paid since 1978

$2.3M

• Thunderstorm Wind167
• Hail143
• Flash Flood61 · 1 death
• Winter Weather37
• Flood32
• Winter Storm24
• Tornado21
• Heavy Rain15
• Drought13
• Lightning10

• Ice Storm01/26/2009

  Independence

  $50M damage

  What happened

  The sheriff's office reported 1 inch of ice across the county by 5:45 AM on the 27th. Ice caused tree limbs to sag and take out power lines in the Cave City and Pleasant Plains areas. A large oak tree split and fell on a roof in Independence County due to ice.

• Flood03/19/2008

  Ramsey Hill, Independence County

  $20.5M damage

  What happened

  Heavy rain caused the White River at Batesville to go well above major flood level. The flood crest was the highest since December, 1982 and the second highest since the two upstream major flood reduction reservoirs were completed in the middle of the twentieth century. Water rose to within 2 feet of going over the U.S. Highway 167 road bed and more than 20 levee openings had to be stop logged closed. Portions of Batesville along Polk Bayou flooded and some of the business district near the river also flooded. Most of the town of Oil Tough was flooded and approximately 50 to 100 people had to be evacuated. Arkansas Highway 14 was closed near Oil Trough by high water. Riverside Park in Batesville was flooded and the new hydropower facility built in the old lock chamber on the river was isolated by the high water. The Southside Water Utility was also surrounded by the river and the swift currents cut through a small levee and almost destroyed the water intake. Most of the winter wheat throughout the county flooded and was lost. At least 10 homes were destroyed, 13 received major damage, and perhaps 50 more were damaged to a lesser degree.

• Flash Flood10/30/2009

  New Hope, Independence County

  1 death, $15K damage

  What happened

  A pickup truck was swept off Webber Chapel Road into an unnamed creek. The driver was killed after being swept downstream. A passenger in the vehicle saved himself by clinging to a tree.

• Flood05/01/2011

  Cushman, Independence County

  $4.5M damage

  What happened

  Parts of Arkansas Highways 14, 37, and 69 were closed due to flooding. Flooding in Independence County continued into June.

• Flood05/01/2017

  Batesville, Independence County

  $3.5M damage

  What happened

  Heavy rain from April caused flooding that continued into May on the White River at Batesville.

• TornadoF2, 20 mi path, 500 yd wide01/22/1999

  Oil Trough, Independence County

  3 injured

  What happened

  A strong tornado was spawned in southern Independence County. The tornado formed as another tornado was dissipating about a mile northwest. This new tornado formed about 5 miles southwest of Oil Trough. As the tornado moved northeast, it destroyed a home and a shed along Highway 157 and damaged other homes nearby. Extensive tree damage was also found in the area. From there, the tornado tracked within a mile of Oil Trough...and caused some roof damage to a home just west of the intersection of Highways 14 and 157. In Oil Trough, a trailer was heavily damaged and a cable antenna on top of a water tower was bent. Farther northeast, a barn was damaged at the intersection of Highways 122 and 69. The tornado moved about a mile east of Newark and destroyed some transmission towers near a power plant. The tornado continued through eastern Independence County...causing mostly tree damage. The tornado finally dissipated just southeast of the town of Cord.

• Batesville Water UtilitiesServes 15,621 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Southside Pub Water AuthorityServes 9,108 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Rock Moore Water AuthorityServes 3,462 · Groundwater · Local government1 health violation+1 monitoring or reporting
• Pfeiffer Water AuthorityServes 3,343 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Cave City WaterworksServes 3,045 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Grange-Calamine Water AssocServes 3,015 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Independence Jackson RegionalServes 2,922 · Groundwater · Local government1 health violation+2 monitoring or reporting
• Dota Public Water AuthorityServes 2,722 · Groundwater (surface influenced) · Local governmentNo health violations