Natural Disasters in Portola Valley, CA

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

99.2

Relatively High

Expected Annual Loss

99.4

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

20.5

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

97.6

Score (0-100)

Scores range from 0 (lowest risk) to 100 (highest risk) relative to all U.S. communities. Data from FEMA National Risk Index.

Disaster History & Federal Spending

Source: FEMA

Total Declarations

24

Public Assistance

$173.0M

Individual Assistance

$3.7M

Most Common Type

Severe Storm

7 declarations

Public Assistance by Category

Total: $171.9M
DisasterTypeDatePA $IA $
Severe Winter Storms, Straight-line Wind… →Severe StormApr 2023$3.1M—
Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslid… →FloodMar 2023——
Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslid… →FloodJan 2023$13.6M$1.9M
Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Muds… →FloodJan 2023——
Wildfires →FireAug 2020$2.4M$148K
Czu Lightning Fire Complex →FireAug 2020——
Covid-19 Pandemic →BiologicalMar 2020$140.0M$1.6M
Covid-19 →BiologicalMar 2020——
Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Muds… →FloodApr 2017$5.4M—
Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Muds… →FloodMar 2017$3.2M—
Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Muds… →Severe Storm(s)Feb 2017$13K—
Glenview Fire →FireSep 2010——
Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and… →Severe StormJun 2006$2.2M—
Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and … →Severe StormFeb 2006$3.2M—
Hurricane Katrina Evacuation →HurricaneSep 2005——
Severe Winter Storms and Flooding →Severe StormFeb 1998——
Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Landsli… →Severe StormJan 1997——
Severe Winter Storms, Flooding Landslide… →Severe StormMar 1995——
Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslid… →Severe StormJan 1995——
Severe Freeze →FreezingFeb 1991——

Showing 20 of 26 disasters

PA = FEMA Public Assistance (infrastructure recovery). IA = Individual Assistance (homeowner/renter aid).

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

1,109

Total Claims Paid

$20,033,204

Avg Claim Payout

$18,064

County-level NFIP data from FEMA National Flood Insurance Program.

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

37

Federal Funding

$29,413,912

Properties Protected

67

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

5.24

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project TypeProjectsFederal $
205.6: Structural Retrofitting/Rehabilitating Public Structures - Seismic9$7,444,307
300.2: Vegetation Management - Wildfire3$1,278,514
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine3$6,846,099
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan2$48,450
500.1: Flood Control - Floodwall2$85,659

Federally funded projects to reduce future disaster risk. Only includes completed or obligated projects.

Portola Valley has a relatively high overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are earthquake, landslide, drought. The area has had 24 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is severe storm (7 declarations). 1,109 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $172,981,685 in public assistance recovery funding. $3,657,223 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 37 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.