Chenango County, NY Environment & Hazard Risk

• LandslideRelatively Low$5,034/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
• HurricaneRelatively Low$366K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 56 years
• Winter weatherRelatively Moderate$98.53K/yr expected annual loss, about 21 events a year
• Ice stormRelatively Low$117K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
• Cold waveRelatively Low$1.18M/yr expected annual loss, about 4.3 events a year
• LightningRelatively Low$192K/yr expected annual loss, about 29 events a year
• TornadoRelatively Low$955K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 4 years
• EarthquakeVery Low$128K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1,852 years
• Strong windRelatively Low$230K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.3 events a year
• WildfireVery Low$10.13K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 46,976 years
• Heat waveVery Low$92.88K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.6 events a year
• HailVery Low$59.74K/yr expected annual loss, about 2.7 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, drought, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

331 of 24,080 (1.4%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

1,500

Insured in high-risk zones

298 (20%)

Flood claims since 1978

632

Claims paid since 1978

$11.35M

• Thunderstorm Wind267
• Hail104
• Flash Flood82 · 1 death
• Heavy Snow65
• Flood53
• Winter Storm24
• Tornado17
• Cold/Wind Chill14
• High Wind12
• Ice Storm10

• Flash Flood06/28/2006

  Countywide, Chenango County

  1 death, $50M damage

  What happened

  A steady stream of tropical moisture flowing north into upstate New York ahead of a frontal system across the eastern Great Lakes brought periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms to Chenango County from early Monday the 26th through Tuesday morning the 27th. From 1.5 to 4 inches of rain fell by Tuesday morning. This rain saturated soils before another batch of heavy rain fell Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning as the front moved back east and combined with a low pressure system moving up the eastern seaboard. This additional rainfall caused most small streams and creeks to burst their banks beginning Tuesday the 27th in the evening. The rain finally tapered off early Wednesday morning the 28th. A total of 4 to 7 inches of rain fell across Chenango County which caused numerous small streams and creeks to overflow their banks. The serious flooding began Tuesday evening around 6 pm EDT and lasted into Wednesday afternoon. Hardest hit areas were Afton, Bainbridge, Norwich and Sherburne. In Norwich,the Canasawcta Creek flooded the entire west side of the city with hundreds evacuated. In addition, the entire business district took on water. It is estimated that one half of all...

• Flood06/27/2006

  Bainbridge, Chenango County

  $50M damage

  What happened

  The communities of Bainbridge and Sidney were inundated with major flooding during this period The major source of jobs in the valley is the Amphenol Corporation. This plant closed due to 4 to 5 feet of water that damaged the plant. The Susquehanna River at Bainbridge rose to the 13 foot flood stage Tuesday June 27th at 3:45 pm EDT. The river continued to rise above the moderate inundation stage of 20 feet on Wednesday, June 28th at 4:45 am EDT. The river rose above the major inundation stage of 22 feet on Wednesday, June 28th at 8:45 am EDT. The river crested at a new record of 27.03 feet Thursday June 29th at 11:00 am EDT. The old record flood was March 29, 1914 at 23.10 feet. The gage was first established in 1907. The river remained above the flood stage through the end of June.

• Winter Weather12/04/2025

  Chenango

  1 death

  What happened

  A female driver passed away from a head-on collision with a tractor-trailer which was traveling northbound on Route 12B and lost control during a snow squall. The truck crossed into the southbound lane colliding with the other vehicle.

• Flash Flood01/19/1996

  Countywide, Chenango County

  $7.9M damage

• Flood06/28/2006

  Sherburne, Chenango County

  $5M damage

  What happened

  Record flooding occurred at Sherburne on the Chenango River. At the peak of the flooding, there was three feet of water on Main Street in Sherburne. The river reached the flood stage of 8 feet June 27th at 7:35 PM EDT. The river rose to the moderate flood level of 9 feet June 28th at 9:45 PM EDT. The river rose to the major flood level of 10.6 feet June 28th at 1:00 AM EDT. The record crest was 11.35 feet June 28th at 12:45 PM EDT. The old record was 11.2 feet set March 28, 1914. The third highest crest is10.78 feet April 3, 2005. The basin average rainfall for June 26 to 29 was 5.84 inches. The river at Sherburne remained above the flood stage through the end of June.

• Flood06/28/2006

  Rockdale, Chenango County

  $3M damage

  What happened

  Record flooding occurred on the Unadilla River at Rockdale. The flooding beat the old record by one foot. The news stories about the record flooding were centered on a Mount Upton firefighter, who nearly lost his own life in a swift water rescue that sent a 5-year old boy to the hospital. The firefighter was swept into the Unadilla River, but was wearing a flotation device and was rescued himself. The other flood news was the enormous amout of dairy farmland and crops that were destroyed by flooding. The river reached the flood stage of 11 feet June 28th at 2:31 AM EDT. The river rose to the moderate flood level of 12 feet June 28th, at 5:45 AM EDT. The river rose to the major flood category of 13 feet June 28th at 10:00 AM EDT. The crest was 13.96 feet on June 29th, at 12:00 AM EDT. The old record at Rockdale was 12.98 feet set December 31, 1942. The basin average rainfall for June 26 to 29 was 5.92 inches.

• Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/21/2026

  Brisben, Chenango County

  $3,000 damage

• TornadoEF1, 6.54 mi path, 200 yd wide07/21/2026

  Greene Arpt, Chenango County

  $10K damage

• TornadoEF1, 4.64 mi path, 100 yd wide07/21/2026

  Greene Arpt, Chenango County

  $20K damage

• Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/21/2026

  Greene Arpt, Chenango County

  $5,000 damage

• Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/21/2026

  Greene, Chenango County

  $1,000 damage

• Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/21/2026

  Greene Arpt, Chenango County

  $10K damage

• Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/18/2026

  Greene, Chenango County

  $500 damage

• Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/18/2026

  Smithville Flats, Chenango County

  $2,000 damage

• Hurricane Agnes (1972)06/14/1972 · Landfall: FL · 977 mbTropical storm52 mph nearby

• Norwich CityServes 8,000 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Greene VillageServes 1,800 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Oxford VillageServes 1,738 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Bainbridge VillageServes 1,550 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Sherburne VillageServes 1,531 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• New Berlin VillageServes 1,500 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+3 monitoring or reporting
• Afton VillageServes 838 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
• New York State Veterans HomeServes 504 · Groundwater · StateNo health violations