Flood Damage in the United States: Table of Contents

Flood Damage in the United States, 1926-2003
A Reanalysis of National Weather Service Estimates

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Executive Summary

1. Introduction

- Why We Need Historical Flood Damage Data

- Sources of Historical Flood Damage Data

- Scope of the NWS Flood Damage Data

- Purpose and Methods

- Organization

2. Sources of Flood Damage Estimates, 1926-2003

- Overview of Historical NWS Estimates

- Present Methods of Compiling Flood Damage Estimates

- Sources of Historical NWS Estimates

- Additional Sources of Flood Damage Estimates

- Summary

3. Development of the Data Sets

- Resolving the Data Gap, 1976-1982

- Annual National Flood Damage Estimates (1926-1979, 1983-2000)

- Annual Flood Damage Estimates for the States (1955-1979, 1983-2000)

- Annual Flood Damage Estimates in River Basins (1933-1975)

- Use of the Damage Estimates

4. Sources of Inaccuracy in the Flood Damage Data

- Clerical Errors

- Inconsistency in Reporting Over Time

- Low Precision of Reported Estimates

- Inadequate Estimation Methods

5. Accuracy of Damage Estimates

- Errors in Early Damage Estimates

- Comparison of Damage Estimates from NWS and States

- Accuracy: Summary and Conclusions

6. Dealing with Data Omissions and Inconsistencies

- Frequency of Damaging Floods at the State Level

- Magnitude of Damages

- Implications for Analysis of State Damages

- Recommendations

7. Use and Interpretation of NWS Flood Damage Data

- Analyzing Trends Over Time

- Comparing States

- Comparing Individual Flood Events

- Possible Inconsistencies With Other Sources

- Uses of the Reanalyzed NWS Damage Estimates

- Recommendations for Future Collection of Flood Damage Estimates

References

Abbreviations

List of Tables

List of Figures

Appendix A: Compilation of Damage Estimates for 1976-1979

Appendix B: Estimated Flood Damage, by State

A report of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Weather Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Global Programs, pursuant to NOAA Award No. NA96GP0451 through a cooperative agreement. In partnership between the Environmental and Societal Impacts Group of the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado.