Understanding the 100-Year Flood
Have you heard of the term, "100-year flood." It is a term often used to describe a flood of great magnitude. The first thing you need to know about the 100-year flood is that it is not a flood that occurs every 100 years! The 100-year flood is actually a regulatory standard used by Federal agencies, and most states, to administer floodplain management programs. It is also used by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as the basis for insurance requirements nationwide. Keep reading to learn more about the 100-year flood from your trusted flood professionals at Big Bags USA®.
The 100-Year Flood
The 100-year flood, also known as the base flood, is the flood having a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. The term is used as an attempt to simplify the definition of a flood that statistically has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. Scientists and engineers often use statistical probability to put context to floods and their occurrence. If the probability of a particular flood magnitude being equaled or exceeded is known, then the risk can be assessed. To determine these probabilities, all the annual peak streamflow values measured at streamgage are examined. Streamgage is a location on the river in which the height of the water and the quantity of flow (streamflow) are recorded. If we had 1,000 years of streamflow data, we would expect to see about 10 floods of equal or greater magnitude than the 100-year flood. These floods would not occur at exactly 100 year intervals though. In one part of the record, they could be 15 years apart, and in another part, they could be 150 years apart. In fact, 100-year floods can actually happen 2 years in a row.
The 100-Year Floodplain
While the 100-year flood has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year, a structure located in a the 100-year floodplain area shown on an NFIP map has a 26% chance of suffering flood damage during the term of a 30-year mortgage. This value is determined based on the probability theory that accounts for each of the 30 years having a 1% chance of flooding. The accuracy of this 100-year flood plan system varies depending on the amount of data available, the accuracy of those data, land-use changes in the river drainage area, climate cycles and how well the data fits the statistical probability.
Unfortunately, the 100-year flood term can confuse or unintentionally mislead those unfamiliar with flood science. Which is why Big Bags USA® wanted to set the record straight!
Since we have these great tools and systems for analyzing flood probability and, therefore, flood risk. We should be able to better prepare for flooding events to minimize property damage, protect roadways and more. So why aren't we? Big Bags USA® is on a mission to help federal, state and local agencies be prepared for flooding. How? By creating flood mitigation plans that include an easily-stored, easily-deployed flood barrier system like ours! To learn more about the benefits of Big Bags USA® flood barrier systems, as opposed to traditional sandbags, visit our website at www.BigBagsUSA.com.
MADE IN THE USA ~ 100% Manufactured in Missouri ~ BUY AMERICAN
MADE IN THE USA ~ 100% Manufactured in Missouri ~ BUY AMERICAN
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