Alexander County, IL Environment & Hazard Risk

• EarthquakeRelatively Moderate$3.72M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 80 years
• DroughtRelatively Moderate$375K/yr expected annual loss, about 5.3 events a year
• Ice stormRelatively Moderate$134K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.3 events a year
• Strong windRelatively Moderate$470K/yr expected annual loss, about 3.9 events a year
• LandslideVery Low$1,369/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
• Heat waveRelatively Low$257K/yr expected annual loss, about 11 events a year
• TornadoRelatively Low$665K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 5 years
• Winter weatherRelatively Low$34.99K/yr expected annual loss, about 6.9 events a year
• Cold waveRelatively Low$395K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.1 events a year
• HailVery Low$59.71K/yr expected annual loss, about 3.2 events a year
• HurricaneVery Low$4,356/yr expected annual loss, about once every 73 years
• LightningVery Low$39.08K/yr expected annual loss, about 56 events a year
• WildfireVery Low$557/yr expected annual loss, about once every 6,641 years

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

112 of 3,251 (3.5%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

1,530

Insured in high-risk zones

105 (7%)

Flood claims since 1978

444

Claims paid since 1978

$3.23M

• Flood221
• Dense Fog122
• Strong Wind94
• Thunderstorm Wind66
• Heat64
• Winter Weather56
• Frost/Freeze49
• Hail40
• Drought37
• Excessive Heat27

• Flood07/01/2019

  East Cape Girardeau, Alexander County

  $10M damage

  What happened

  The Mississippi River finally fell below flood stage at the Thebes river gage after spending about four and one-half months above flood stage. While the crest was among the ten highest on record, the extended duration of the flood played an even greater role on the impact. The combination of seepage and relief wells along the levees permitted large amounts of water to seep into normally dry areas. The biggest impacts in Alexander County were weeks after the river crested. Portions of Illinois Routes 3 and 146 were flooded and closed from the East Cape Girardeau area down to Thebes. A number of residences were flooded in McClure and East Cape Girardeau. Further south, the breach in the Len Small levee continued to permit large amounts of water into the Miller City area. A U.S. Geological Survey measurement determined that at least 20 percent of the total Mississippi River flow was exiting through the break in the Len Small levee. County roads and swaths of cropland were damaged extensively by fast-flowing water around the levee break. Six barges passed through the levee break and became stuck on Miller City Road. The loose barges damaged irrigation pivots and farm equipment. The...

• Winter Storm01/27/2009

  Alexander

  $10M damage

  What happened

  A prolonged, major winter storm dumped 6 to 10 inches of sleet and snow north of a line from East Cape Girardeau through Vienna to the confluence of the Wabash and Ohio Rivers. This resulted in at least two dozen roof collapses and very difficult driving conditions. South of that line, at least one inch of ice accumulated, with locally around 1.5 inches of ice. This resulted in a federal disaster declaration due to widespread tree damage and power outages. Virtually 100 percent of Massac County in the southern tip of the state was without power. The vast majority of nearby Alexander, Pulaski, Pope, Hardin, and southern Johnson Counties lost power. A major 161,000 volt transmission line running across the Ohio River into Kentucky went down. Hundreds of power poles were broken or knocked down in the ice storm area. Power outages generally lasted three to five days in cities and large towns, while many rural areas endured power outages over a week long. Some towns without power lost their water supply because pumps could not fill water towers. A utility company stated the damage was much worse than the ice storm of February 2008, which was their worst on record up until that time....

• High Wind58 kt wind09/14/2008

  Alexander

  $8.5M damage

  What happened

  Frequent wind gusts from 60 to nearly 70 mph caused considerable damage in southern Illinois. The low pressure center that was the remnant of Hurricane Ike raced northeast at 40 to 50 mph across Missouri and Illinois. The center passed between Carbondale and St. Louis on its way toward the northeastern states. The rapid speed of the low pressure system contributed to this high wind event.||Considerable tree damage occurred. Trees were uprooted, and very large limbs were broken. Some trees fell on homes, outbuildings, and vehicles. Fewer than a dozen homes in each county were damaged by falling trees. Others fell on commercial and public buildings. Numerous trees or limbs fell on roads and blocked them. Road closures were mostly south and east of Franklin County. All roads were cleared of debris within 12 hours in most counties. Minor roof damage was reported on some structures, mostly shingles blown off. A few structures lost entire sections of roof, including the old fire station in Rosiclare (Hardin County). The worst roof damage was mainly in the counties bordering the Ohio River. Numerous power outages occurred as utility lines and even some power poles were brought down....

• Flood01/01/2016

  East Cape Girardeau, Alexander County

  $4.5M damage

  What happened

  Mississippi River levels continued their climb from December, and record flooding occurred early in the month. At the Thebes river gage, the river crested at a new record of 47.74 feet before dawn on the 2nd. The old record was 45.91 feet, which was set in May of 1995. Records at Thebes go back to at least 1844. The 2016 crest would have been higher if a major levee break had not occurred in Alexander County. Flood stage at Thebes is 33 feet. The primary flood-related impact was a large levee break (about one-quarter mile wide) in the Len Small Levee near Miller City, between Thebes and Cairo. This levee break contributed to major flooding in and near the communities of Olive Branch and Miller City. Several dozen residences were flooded, some of them by water up to seven feet deep. Voluntary evacuations were requested as floodwaters inundated these communities and cut off access roads. Many homes and businesses in these communities were sandbagged, but many of them ended up being flooded. A Red Cross shelter was opened at Cape Girardeau. The National Guard was requested to assist with sandbagging operations and levee repairs. A couple of relatively small levee breaches were...

• Drought09/01/2007

  Alexander

  $3.45M damage

  What happened

  Severe drought conditions that developed late in August persisted through September. The persistent 500 mb high over the southeast and south central U.S. started to break down at times, allowing an increase in rainfall. At Carbondale, the monthly rainfall was 2.19 inches. This rainfall was beneficial but not sufficient to improve drought conditions. Soil moisture in the top 12 inches of soil was running 20 to 50 percent below normal. This impacted the agricultural sector. Statewide across Illinois, 55 percent of pasture land was rated poor or very poor. The soybean crop sustained over 60 million dollars in losses in southern Illinois alone. Fire danger remained high for part of the month. A ban on outdoor burning was posted in Union and Hardin Counties for part of the month.

• Frost/Freeze04/08/2007

  Alexander

  $3M damage

  What happened

  This was the fourth and most extreme of several freezes on consecutive nights. Extensive damage occurred to some crops, gardens, and even trees. Record warmth in March preceded these freezes. Most growth was well ahead of schedule when the record cold struck. Low temperatures were near records for the entire month of April. Many lows were in the lower 20's. Significant damage occurred to vegetation. In particular, the apple, peach, and grape crops were virtually wiped out. Unprotected strawberry plots were wiped out. The fledgling winter wheat crop was heavily damaged in addition to some early planted corn. Blossoms on dogwood trees and other flowering trees and shrubs were lost. Foliage on trees such as oaks, maples, and Bradford pears was shrivelled and discolored. Only a few trees that were already under stress were killed.

• Flood04/30/2026

  Mc Clure, Alexander County

• Drought04/28/2026

  Alexander

• Dense Fog04/25/2026

  Alexander

• Dense Fog02/27/2026

  Alexander

• Dense Fog02/16/2026

  Alexander

• Dense Fog02/10/2026

  Alexander

• Cold/Wind Chill01/26/2026

  Alexander

• Winter Storm01/24/2026

  Alexander

• Southwater INCServes 2,185 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Il American-CairoServes 1,821 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations
• Central Alexander Cnty PwdServes 1,763 · Purchased groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+3 monitoring or reporting
• Mcclure-East Cape PwdServes 910 · Purchased groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+3 monitoring or reporting
• TammsServes 653 · Purchased groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+3 monitoring or reporting
• ThebesServes 213 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting