Is there a viable way to mitigate the loss of life and damages to property and infrastructure caused by flooding? The National Research Council (NRC) says “yes” in a new report that recommends replacing Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood maps with improved versions containing high-accuracy and high-resolution land surface elevation data.

The benefits of more accurate flood maps, the NRC says, will outweigh the costs, mainly because insurance premiums and building restrictions would better match the actual flood risks. Coastal region flood maps could also be improved by updating current models and using two-dimensional storm surge and wave models.

FEMA commonly uses flood maps to set flood insurance rates, regulate floodplain development, and inform those who live in the “100-year” floodplain of potential hazards. As such, these maps require ongoing maintenance and revisions because of the changing shape of landscapes due to development and natural events. FEMA's Map Modernization Program of 2003 to 2008 resulted in digital flood maps for 92 percent of the continental U.S. population, most of whom live in areas that had outdated maps or no maps at all. However, after a $1 billion investment, only 21 percent of the population has maps that meet all of FEMA's data quality standards.

For this reason, FEMA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration asked the Research Council to examine the factors that affect flood map accuracy; assess the costs and benefits of producing more accurate maps; and recommend ways to improve mapping, communication, and management of flood-related data. In response, the committee authoring the report collected and analyzed information on selected streams in Florida and North Carolina as well as the economic implications (including benefits) associated with creating new digital flood maps in North Carolina.

The committee found that costs related to improving the maps would be outweighed by benefits of more accurate flood maps, including reduced loss of life, property, and businesses; more efficient planning and response for emergency services; and preservation of natural functions of floodplains. In addition, better maps would ostensibly provide more reliable measures of flood hazard, which would enable more targeted land-use regulations and structures to be insured at appropriate levels.

The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council make up the National Academies. For more information, visit the National Academies' site here.

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