This page provides a few basic facts and suggestions concerning flooding and an opportunity to pose questions to flood experts. Go to the Learning Center for more detailed discussions of flood-related matters. Page Index Basic facts about floods and flooding.
Flood damage is the result of people wanting to live on the floodplain.
Floodplains are designated by the rarity of the flood that is large enough to inundate them. Dams, levees, channels and other protective works are designed to provide protection against some specific level of flooding. Engineers can design and construct levees, dams and other measures providing a very high level of protection. Communities tend to choose lower levels of protection because of the initial financial cost rather than overall costs and benefits. The National Flood Insurance Program has established a defacto minimum standard of protection against the 100-year flood.