Key facts: Covington and Mandeville
- Covington sits at a fork of the Bogue Falaya and Tchefuncte rivers,[1] while Mandeville's low lakefront relies on a 5-foot seawall.[2]
- Katrina flooded hundreds of buildings, then Isaac and Ida brought surge in 2012 and 2021, and later elevation and floodplain rules sharply reduced repeat losses.[2]
- Old pier-built wood homes need slower drying, and pre-1978 paint needs checking.[3]
River rise in Covington
Those rivers drain a broad area, so prolonged rain upstream may flood low ground near the banks days later. Keep an eye on gauges, and check your zone and elevation before assuming a past dry year means safety.
A closer look in Covington
Surge at Mandeville's seawall
Flood claims recorded in St. Tammany Parish
Covington sits in St. Tammany Parish. FEMA publishes every National Flood Insurance Program claim with personal details removed, which gives a plain record of where water has reached insured buildings here.
| Measure | Count |
|---|---|
| Flood insurance claims on record | 38,420 |
| Year with the most claims | 2005 (18,281) |
| Largest named event | Hurricane Katrina (17,945) |
| Claims outside high-risk A and V zones | 28% |
| Claims on buildings built before 1975 | 34% |
County-wide counts of insured claims only. Uninsured losses, burst pipes and appliance leaks are not in this data.
What the Covington claim record shows
For Covington homes, the local precedents are the events behind the most St. Tammany Parish claims: Hurricane Katrina (17,945 claims), Flooding (5,010 claims) and Hurricane Isaac (2,918 claims).
About 28% of claims with a recorded zone came from outside the high-risk A and V zones, so a moderate-risk label does not mean a Covington home stays dry.
A newer Covington home is not exempt: 66% of claims with a known build date involved homes built in 1975 or later.
Federal disaster history for St. Tammany Parish
FEMA lists 50 federal declarations covering St. Tammany Parish. The most common types are hurricane (29), flood (7) and coastal storm (4). The latest are Tropical Storm Arthur in 2026, Severe Winter Storm in 2021 and Hurricane Francine in 2024. Federal aid can open after a declaration, so Covington owners should look it up before discarding damaged items.
Covington weather and your home
Weather records for Covington from 2015 through 2024 average 73 inches of precipitation a year, and August and June are the wettest months. The area averages 17.4 days a year with an inch or more.
Freezing nights are rare, at about 6 a year in Covington, so the bigger concerns are storms, plumbing failures and humidity.
At 17 heavy-rain days a year, clear gutters matter in Covington, and doors and low windows are worth watching.
When rain falls in Covington
Seasonal averages for Covington, 2015 through 2024. Plan roof, gutter and sump pump checks before the wettest stretch.
| Season | Average | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 17.0 in | 23% |
| April to June | 20.0 in | 27% |
| July to September | 22.1 in | 30% |
| October to December | 14.2 in | 19% |
Modeled from Open-Meteo historical weather data. Precipitation includes rain and melted snow.
Covington home checklist from these records
- Don't rely on recent quiet years. Only 12% of St. Tammany Parish claims date from 2015 or later, so older floods still show what can happen.
- Test any sump pump before August, since Covington averages 17 days a year with an inch or more.
- Keep dated photos of each room. After Hurricane Katrina, 17,945 insured St. Tammany Parish owners filed claims at about the same time.
What to tell the Covington contractor
- Your distance to the lake or river
- Whether the house sits on piers
- What the water source was
Services Covington and Mandeville callers ask about
Questions
Covington and Mandeville water damage questions
Can aggressive drying harm older homes?
Yes. Rapid drying can crack old plaster and warp wood, so ask how the contractor controls it.
Who regulates rebuilding near the lake?
Local floodplain rules apply. Ask the city or parish before repairs begin.