Targeting Education and Outreach

摘要

Judging from steadily rising flood damage, current flood outreach is not as effective as desired. The most effective outreach is a major flood with millions in damage and deaths. Once a major flood occurs, community residents understand at least for a few years the risks they face. During the period following the flood, politicians are willing and able to act. They are sometimes unfairly criticized for not doing anything about a known problem, but politicians usually mirror the will of the electorate. Until the public perceives the risk, ever-scarce resources will not be allocated to a problem. Breaking the hydro-illogic cycle of flooding, accusations, rebuilding in the floodplain as before, complacency, and redestruction will require focused outreach to communities at greatest risk. The consistent history of increasing flood losses proves that the current blanket outreach for the entire United States is not working.