Managing Flood Risks Must Change in the United States

​http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2017/06/19/federal-pullback-climate-change-could-boost-state-spending-on-disasters

The Nation’s Approach to Managing Flood Risks Must Change
September 13, 2017 
By Joel Scata 
​NRDC

In the era of climate change, the “business-as-usual” approach for addressing flooding is no longer an option. Current federal policies create an unsustainable “flood, rebuild, repeat” situation for managing the nation’s flood risks. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, while extreme events, laid bare the holes in our nation’s ability to prepare for and adapt to a growing number of large-scale natural disasters. We are now seeing more severe storm events, rising sea levels, and more people moving to vulnerable coastal areas. The impacts and associated damage costs from floods will only continue to increase without reform. The Trump administration and Congress must pursue policies that make America safer and more resilient to flooding.

Three major flood policy areas demand immediate attention:

• reinstating the recently revoked federal flood protection standards;
• implementing climate-smart reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program, and
• accounting for future flood risks in disaster planning.

As we tally up the devastation from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the need for these reforms will only increase.

The High Costs of Flooding
Hurricane Harvey, one of the most destructive storms to hit the United States, caused widespread flooding along Texas’ Gulf Coast and in parts of Louisiana. The storm damaged tens of thousands of homes, impacted critical facilities, like hospitals, nursing homes, and water treatment plants, and most tragically, resulted in over 70 deaths. The costs to rebuild Houston and other affected areas will be high, possibly reaching $190 billion.

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