Significance of Location in Computing Flood Damage
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 111, Issue 1
Abstract
Expected annual flood damage for individual residential structures may be estimated using generalized depth‐damage and elevation‐frequency relationships developed by the Federal Insurance Administration (FIA). Damage computation using these data for different locations of the structure in the flood plain show a significant difference between structures located within the 25 yr flood plain and structures located outside. Within the 25 yr flood plain, especially within the 15 yr flood plain, damage for one and two‐story structures with and without basements are exceedingly high: up to ten times greater than those outside. Outside the 25 yr flood plain, expected annual damage decreases gradually with location. These observations have important implications for flood plain management. First, economic feasibility of flood control projects will normally require that a significant number of structures be located within the 25 yr flood plain. Second, removal of structures with high damage potential has the secondary effect of reducing economic feasibility of potential flood control projects. Third, outside the 25 yr flood plain, expected annual damage is relatively insensitive to variations in location, depth‐damage function and frequency. Lastly, estimates of expected annual damage using generalized FIA data is useful in preliminary estimates of the damage reduced.
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References
1.
“Depth‐Percent Damage: Structure, Residential Contents, Commercial Contents,” Federal Insurance Administration, Jan., 1974.
2.
“Evaluation of the Acquisition of Flood Damage Property Under Section 1362 of the National Flood Insurance Program During Fiscal Year 1980,” Federal Emergency Management Agency, May, 1981.
3.
“Expected Annual Flood Damage Computations,” The Hydrologic Engineering Center, Corps of Engineers, June, 1977.
4.
“Flood Hazard Factor, Elevation Frequency Curves, Depth‐Damage Curves—Set A, F.I.A. Standard Rate Tables,” Federal Insurance Administration, Sept., 1970.
5.
Johnson, William K., “Physical and Economic Feasibility of Nonstructural Flood Plain Management Measures,” The Hydrologic Engineering Center, Corps of Engineers, Mar., 1978.
6.
MacFadyen, D. J., “Flood Insurance Rate Calculation Computer Program,” Unpublished report prepared for the Federal Insurance Administration, Apr., 1974.
7.
McCrory, Jerry A., James, L. Douglas, and Jones, D. Earl, Jr., “Dealing with Variable Flood Hazard,” Journal of the Water Resources Planning and Management Division, Nov., 1976.
8.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, “Study of Relationship to Flood Depths vs Flood Damage to Contents in Residential and Commercial Categories,” Civil Works—Planning Division, Project Analysis Task Group, Technical Paper #2.
9.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, “Flood Risk Analysis,” Engineer Technical Letter No. 1110‐2‐274, Sept., 1982.
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Copyright © 1985 ASCE.
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Published online: Jan 1, 1985
Published in print: Jan 1985
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