Does Orchard flood?
Orchard, Mobile, AL · ZIP codes 36608 and 36618: the ZIP codes on most of the flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around Orchard have filed flood claims. About 3.6% of Orchard’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area; the rest is in moderate or minimal-hazard Zone X. NFIP flood insurance records list 19 claims from the Census block groups that cover Orchard, from 1979 through 2021. 12 of them received a payment, totaling $109,062 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1980 (3 claims), 1979 (2 claims), 2021 (2 claims).
What this page counts as Orchard
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for Orchard, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, Orchard means the 2010 Census block groups whose center lies within 1.6 km (1.0 miles) of the U.S. Geological Survey (GNIS) map point for Orchard (feature 124301), each block group going to the nearest of the places we cover. Every number below is for exactly those block groups (listed in “How these numbers were made”), so the edges are approximate and may include or leave out a few blocks people would call Orchard. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups and U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) domestic names.
Past claims do not predict future flooding, and a neighborhood figure cannot tell you about one building. Look up the exact address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and get flood insurance quotes before you sign a lease or a contract.
Check a specific address in Orchard
Neighborhood figures are averages. Our address check looks up the FEMA flood zone at one address, from the same public maps: check if your address is in a flood zone.
Flood zones street by street in Orchard
The named streets in Orchard, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Orchard lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Orchard; the main zone is the FEMA zone covering most of that length. A street can cross several zones, so the zone at one address can differ from the street’s main zone: check the address above for that. 51 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howells Ferry Rd | 2.5 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Zeigler Blvd | 1.7 mi | 6.4% | X (unshaded, minimal) (86%) |
| Schillinger Rd N | 1.4 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Cody Rd N | 1.3 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Overlook Rd | 4,850 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Middle Ring Rd | 4,010 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Athey Rd | 3,990 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Anders Dr | 3,060 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Princeton Woods Dr E | 2,910 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Grider Rd | 2,740 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Victor Rd | 2,650 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Lake St | 2,600 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Southampton Way | 2,520 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Lamplighter Dr | 2,500 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Myland Ave | 2,420 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| W Orchard Dr | 2,250 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Erdman Ln | 2,130 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Princeton Woods Dr W | 2,010 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Barker Dr E | 1,860 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Withers Ave | 1,830 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Skipper Dr | 1,640 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Summer Place Dr W | 1,640 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Summer Place Dr E | 1,600 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Green Forest Dr | 1,560 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| N Greenway Dr | 1,510 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
Streets: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, Transportation (primary, secondary and local roads). Flood zones: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels, retrieved October 25, 2026. Each street is clipped to the area boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in Orchard
Share of Orchard’s mapped area (about 9.096 km²) in each FEMA flood zone, from FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (01097C0526L, 01097C0527L, 01097C0528L, 01097C0529L, 01097C0531L): June 5, 2020.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 96% |
| AE | 3.5% |
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 0.4% |
| A | 0.1% |
What the zones mean
- Zone AE (and A, AH, AO)
- High-risk: part of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), the area FEMA maps as having a 1-percent chance of flooding in any given year (the “100-year” or base flood). AE areas have a mapped base flood elevation.
- Zone VE (and V)
- High-risk coastal areas, also in the SFHA, where the base flood is expected to bring additional hazards from storm waves.
- Zone X (shaded)
- Moderate hazard: between the limits of the 1-percent and the 0.2-percent-annual-chance (“500-year”) flood.
- Zone X (unshaded)
- Minimal hazard: outside the SFHA and higher than the 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood elevation. Minimal is not zero: flood claims are filed from X zones too.
Source: FEMA Glossary: Flood Zones.
Flood insurance claims over time
Claims filed under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) from the 2010 Census block groups that cover Orchard. This area is made of whole block groups, so every claim counted here comes from inside it. Only insured properties appear, so these counts understate total flooding.
By decade
| Decade | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2 | $16,403 |
| 1980s | 6 | $3,680 |
| 1990s | 4 | $39,631 |
| 2000s | 3 | $31,543 |
| 2010s | 2 | $17,806 |
| 2020s | 2 | $0 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Flooding: 2 claims
- Tropical Storm Isidore: 1 claims
- Hurricane Frederic: 1 claims
- Hurricane Danny: 1 claims
- Hurricane Ida: 1 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 12
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 7
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Before you rent or buy in Orchard
- Look up the exact address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center; a neighborhood can mix high-risk and minimal-hazard zones.
- Ask the landlord or seller about past flooding and flood insurance claims at the property.
- Get a flood insurance quote early: new NFIP policies usually take 30 days to start (FloodSmart (NFIP): Buy a Flood Insurance Policy).
- Ask which floor the unit is on and where parking, storage and mechanical equipment sit.
Living in Orchard
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Orchard with other Mobile neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Mobile on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Orchard flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Orchard have filed flood claims. About 3.6% of Orchard’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area; the rest is in moderate or minimal-hazard Zone X. NFIP flood insurance records list 19 claims from the Census block groups that cover Orchard, from 1979 through 2021. 12 of them received a payment, totaling $109,062 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1980 (3 claims), 1979 (2 claims), 2021 (2 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Orchard in a flood zone?
About 3.6% of Orchard’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area; the rest is in moderate or minimal-hazard Zone X. Shares by zone: X (unshaded, minimal) 96%; AE 3.5%; X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 0.4%; A 0.1%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect June 5, 2020.
Which streets in Orchard are in a high-risk flood zone?
No street listed here has most of its length in FEMA high-risk zones. Less than 10% of Howells Ferry Rd, Zeigler Blvd, Schillinger Rd N, Cody Rd N, Overlook Rd, Middle Ring Rd, Athey Rd and Anders Dr does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Orchard in?
Orchard is in Mobile, AL. ZIP codes 36608 and 36618: the ZIP codes on most of the flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines. Check the specific address for its own flood zone.
Do renters need flood insurance?
Standard renters policies usually do not cover flood. Renters in a community that participates in the NFIP can buy contents-only flood coverage, up to $100,000 for belongings.
How long does a new flood policy take to start?
A new NFIP policy generally takes effect 30 days after purchase. Exceptions include no wait when the policy is bought while making, increasing, extending or renewing a mortgage, and a one-day wait in a newly designated high-risk zone within 12 months of the map change.
How much coverage can NFIP provide?
For a one-to-four family home, NFIP building coverage goes up to $250,000 and contents coverage up to $100,000. You can buy flood insurance even if you are not in a high-risk zone, as long as your community participates in the NFIP.
FAQ sources: FloodSmart (NFIP): Buy a Flood Insurance Policy; FEMA Fact Sheet: Think you don’t need flood insurance? Think again (Jan. 21, 2025); 44 CFR 61.11, Effective date and time of coverage.
Nearby neighborhoods
- Princeton Woods
- Does West Hill flood?
- Does Deerwood flood?
- Does Huntleigh Woods flood?
- Forest Hill
- Does Country Club Village flood?
How these numbers were made
Area: the census-based definition above, using U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups and U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) domestic names. Flood zone shares: the area polygon intersected with FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels, area computed in an equal-area projection; retrieved October 25, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for Mobile County (county code 01097), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved October 25, 2026. Claims are counted for exactly the block groups that make up the area. Block groups used: 010970034073, 010970034041. Neighboring pages can share a block group, so their counts can overlap. Paid totals add building, contents and Increased Cost of Compliance payments and are not adjusted for inflation; a claim whose FEMA record shows a negative payment (an adjustment) counts as zero. See the methodology.
Sources
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), FEMA OpenFEMA Dataset: FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims - v3. Retrieved on October 25, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on October 25, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups and U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) domestic names.
- FEMA Glossary: Flood Zones.
- FloodSmart (NFIP): Buy a Flood Insurance Policy.
- FEMA Fact Sheet: Think you don’t need flood insurance? Think again (Jan. 21, 2025).
- 44 CFR 61.11, Effective date and time of coverage.
- OpenFEMA Terms and Conditions.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, Transportation (primary, secondary and local roads).
Data as of September 8, 2026 (FEMA claims) and October 25, 2026 (flood zones). Page last updated October 25, 2026.