Water Risk Profile — ZIP 92346
Flood risk, local cost data, climate factors, and insurance context for your ZIP code.
Flood Risk
Medium
Cost Range
$1,500–$8,500
Avg Response
42 min
NFIP
State participates
Local Climate & Risk Factors
Fontana, California faces a bi-modal water damage risk: winter atmospheric river events (ARs) deliver 10–20 inches of rain over 5–10 days in Northern California, overwhelming drainage systems and causing mudslides and roof leaks; in Southern California, decades of drought followed by El Niño-year storms create flash flooding in areas with compromised fire-damaged vegetation. Pipe bursts occur during rare sub-freezing nights in Central Valley and mountain communities. Post-wildfire debris flow events are a separate coverage category — check your policy for mudflow and debris flow endorsements if within 10 miles of recent burn areas. California DOI requires water damage claims to be acknowledged within 10 days.
Flood-prone areas: North Fontana's tract neighborhoods along the Arrow Route and Cherry Avenue corridor were built on alluvial fans deposited by Lytle Creek and San Sevaine Creek over thousands of years — engineered drainage channels provide some protection but are overwhelmed during 50-year storm events, sending debris-laden water into garages and ground-floor living spaces. Sierra Lakes and communities along Cherry Avenue face the compounding risk of channel overflow and caliche hardpan that forms an impermeable subsurface layer, causing water to pool above the surface rather than percolate during multi-day atmospheric river events.
Water Category Cost Table — Fontana, CA
Extraction & drying cost per square foot by IICRC water category
| Water Category | $/sq ft |
|---|---|
| Category 1 — Clean Burst supply line, clean appliance overflow | $2.72–$6.74 |
| Category 2 — Gray Dishwasher, washing machine, toilet bowl (no feces) | $6.74–$8.16 |
| Category 3 — Black Sewage backup, floodwater, toilet overflow with feces | $9.59–$12.1 |
Estimates exclude reconstruction (drywall, flooring replacement). National benchmarks: Cat 1 $3.75–$4.25, Cat 2 $4.10–$6.50, Cat 3 $7–$7.50/sq ft — adjusted for Fontana market (3.2–11/sq ft range).