Flood risk management (FRM) is one of USACE Civil Work’s three core missions, alongside support for commercial navigation and restoration of aquatic ecosystems. USACE’s FRM activities seek to reduce the threat to life and property from riverine and coastal storm flooding through the development and communication of advanced knowledge, technology, and solutions.
The USACE Flood Risk Management Business Line team manages the national USACE Flood Risk Management portfolio to support the USACE Flood Risk Management mission. They encourage efforts that align with national priorities for the FRM mission; support highest priority USACE FRM projects, studies, and programs, and represent USACE FRM with regard to document and policy review, internal and external meetings, conferences and training opportunities. The business line works closely with all areas of the USACE FRM community, bringing together FRM program leaders from across the agency to coordinate, share ideas, and improve execution of the Civil Works FRM mission, as well as facilitating FRM community-wide information sharing interactions to develop and build on capacity and capability for addressing coastal storm and riverine flood risk management challenges and promoting risk informed decision-making.
What is flood risk? Flood risk is a combination of the likelihood of a natural or man-made flood hazard happening and the consequences or impact if it occurred. Flood risk is dependent on a source of flooding (such as a river), a route for the flood water to take, and damages caused by the flood (such as damage to homes and businesses). Managing flood risk starts with understanding the chance that certain hazards could occur and then identifying the corresponding magnitude of the potential outcome. If any flood risk management structures exist, such as a dam or levee, the performance of those structures also needs to be considered when determining flood risk. Although FRM structures provide some level of protection, they do not eliminate flood risks. Flooding can still occur in surrounding communities and watersheds “even with flood risk management measures (structural and non-structural) in place.”