Most of New Richmond lies on the floodplain of the Ohio River, making it vulnerable to severe flooding. Some of the first recorded floods occurred in 1898, 1907, and 1913. In the Great Flood of 1937, the worst natural disaster in New Richmond's history, the village lost 250 homes out of 415 total. Floods in 1955, 1964, 1967, 1997 and 2018 again devastated the village. The sent of floodwaters "the color of coffee with milk" up Center Street and into the homes of about two-thirds of the village's population of 2,500. Houses were found covered in "several feet of river slime", and the New Richmond School District closed for at least a week. Residents relied on personal boats for transportation between rooftops or for evacuation. Governor George Voinovich visited New Richmond High School, which was being used as a Red Cross shelter for flood victims.