States › North Dakota › Benson County › Flood
Flood in Benson County, North Dakota
65 floods and flash floods events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Flood, Flash Flood, Coastal Flood, Lakeshore Flood.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 65 flood events in Benson County, North Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 17 years.
June is the busiest month, with 17 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 26 events against 39 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 5.3% of the 1,221 flood events recorded in North Dakota; its 4.7 per 100 square miles compares with 1.8 statewide.
Compared with North Dakota
| Measure | Benson County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 65 | 1,221 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.7 | 1.8 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 111.9 | 15.8 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 16 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | June | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
4Apr
7May
8Jun
17Jul
14Aug
10Sep
5Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 65 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 2020 | Flood | — | $100K | $500K | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $250K | $10M | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2011 | Flood | — | $250K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2011 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2011 | Flood | — | $250K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2011 | Flood | — | $200K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2009 | Flood | — | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2009 | Flood | — | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2009 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2009 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Aug 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Jul 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jun 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jun 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 May 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Apr 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Aug 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jul 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jun 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 May 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Apr 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Mar 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Aug 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2001 | Flood | — | $20M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Sep 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2000 | Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Sep 1999 | Flood | — | $25M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Aug 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Jul 1997 | Flood | — | $2.0M | $2.0M | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jul 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1997 | Flood | — | $10M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Benson County had?
65 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of floods and flash floods became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded flood event in Benson County?
1 Jul 2020 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Benson County?
The flood of 1 Sep 1999, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Benson County compare with North Dakota for flood?
4.7 events per 100 square miles against 1.8 statewide; the county holds 65 of the state's 1,221 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Flood hub and the county page.