Flooding

New flood model factors in human reactions

A new open-source flood risk model assesses communities' adaptive responses to flood events, which can help local governments prepare for flood intervention measures like altering development plans or elevating buildings.

  • By Tracey Peake, Futurity

FEMA is being sued for making flood insurance too expensive—and too cheap

The price isn't right, according to two lawsuits against the federal agency. The suits, one of which was brought by Louisiana and Republican state AGs, claim that high insurance rates could put residents at risk of economic ruin, but low rates do little to stop developments on at-risk land.

  • By Jake Bittle, Grist

How well-managed dams and smart forecasting can limit flooding as extreme storms become more common in a warming world

COMMENTARY | As flood system operators juggle how to safely manage water levels during a flood, more accurate forecasting could make the process more efficient and effective.

  • By Riley Post, The Conversation

Flood management gets a boost from drones

As major flooding events are expected to become more common, drones could help communities keep resilience up and damage down.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

Outdated flood data could drown out actual infrastructure needs

Historical data fails to capture current flooding conditions, which could steer communities in the wrong direction when trying to plan and recover from weather events.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

How to Convince Homeowners to Relocate Because of Climate Change

One expert says the path to success may lie not in the data itself, but in how governments communicate the data.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

In Fixing Flood Control Systems, Plans Often Reflect Historical Patterns, Not Future Risks

COMMENTARY | As communities replace aging infrastructure to prepare for future climate-driven storms, aging data stands in the way. Experts warn historical weather data may not be sufficient for new infrastructure decisions.

  • By Antonio Arenas Amado and Lu Liu, The Conversation

Epic Snow From All Those Atmospheric Rivers in the West Is Starting to Melt

COMMENTARY | And the flood danger is rising.

  • By Chad Hecht, The Conversation

In the Face of Extreme Floods, Rural Communities Lack Forecasting and Broadband

Plans are in place to address the urban observation bias in national weather prediction, but the other piece—reliable broadband—could still be years away for places like Eastern Kentucky.

  • By Claire Carlson and Anya Slepyan, The Daily Yonder

'We've Never Seen a Flood Event Like This': Ian's Devastating Hit to Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis described "historic" damage to parts of the state from the hurricane, which made landfall with winds around 150 mph and caused massive flooding.

  • By Bill Lucia

3 Reasons Hurricane Ian Poses a Major Flooding Hazard for Florida

COMMENTARY | A meteorologist explains why the looming storm could be especially dangerous for the state's Gulf Coast.

  • By Athena Masson, The Conversation

A New Tech Tool to Help Communities Confront Climate Risks

The just-launched federal website provides a range of information around extreme weather and natural disasters.

  • By Molly Bolan
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How Cities Can Learn From Today’s Climate Crises to Prepare for Tomorrow

Dallas, which last week was hit with nearly 15 inches of rain that turned roads into rivers and poured into homes, is only the latest flood disaster.

  • By Richard B. (Ricky) Rood, The Conversation

Extreme Rainfall Will Be Worse and More Frequent Than We Thought

Researchers say some climate models are underestimating future floods.

  • By Zoya Teirstein, Grist

FEMA Wants to End Flood Insurance for the Nation’s Riskiest Properties

Democrats and counties oppose the idea. Properties that have been flood-damaged multiple times account for nearly half the program’s payouts over the years.

  • By Kery Murakami

Early Warning System Pinpoints Flooded Roads in Some States

Nearly a dozen states are using real-time, hyper-local monitoring to assess potential flooding at specific bridges or roads.

  • By Jenni Bergal, Stateline

What Flooding Costs These US Cities

Urban areas will see an increase in three types of flooding by 2050, which will force local governments to spend much more on climate disasters, according to a recent report. 

  • By Jean Dimeo

Historic Floods Hammer Yellowstone, Shuttering Park and Stranding Residents

A combination of heavy rain and rapid snowmelt has pushed rivers in the region to their highest recorded levels.

  • By Jake Bittle, Grist

Cyber Risks Found in Flood Management System in Southeastern States

A federal utility operating in seven states failed to implement proper cybersecurity standards for a control assisting with dam and river management, according to an oversight report.

  • By Chris Riotta

States Must Expand Data Sources for Strategic Flood Resilience

Failure to incorporate forward-looking climate data and demographic trends will limit states’ ability to develop effective flood mitigation plans, new research finds.

  • By Shourjya Mookerjee

FEMA Maps Hugely Underestimate US Flood Damage Risk

Researchers have used artificial intelligence to predict where flood damage is likely to happen across that country.

  • By Laura Oleniacz , Futurity