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more detailed and better hydrologic and climatological data and adapting to this risk. At the broadest level, students who come from
science. Great strides in flood assessment have been made— flood-prone areas—or may move to at-risk areas in the future—
including high-resolution topography (e.g., lidar) and related should be aware of flood hazards and ways to address that risk.
modeling, but basic areas like hydrologic instrumentation lag. Among advanced students, flooding should be recognized as a geo-
Investment today in continuing hydrogeoscience data collection logical hazard alongside earthquakes and slope failures, with spe-
and analysis translates into flood losses avoided, communities cific skill sets and tool kits that can be applied to flood manage-
spared, and lives saved in the future. ment. Key concepts including hydrology, statistics, GIS, and
modeling should be taught in the context of flood hazards and man-
• Incorporate uncertainty and changing conditions in flood agement, and broader study of infrastructure, finance, planning,
planning and flood-risk communication: emergency management, and disaster- and preparedness-related
Flood hydrology and climate are understood by scientists to be policy should be encouraged. Geoscience students should recognize
both stochastic and non-stationary systems—meaning they are flood-risk and floodplain management as career paths.
subject to uncertainty and changes over time. But most assess-
ments of flood risk in the U.S. are communicated as fixed and • Communicate flood risk and mitigation and resilience strate-
certain values and lines on maps. Given evidence of shifting flood gies with the broader public:
hazard in many locations, risk analyses that assume static condi- Geoscientists can lead in helping the public understand
tions may underestimate present-day and future flood risk, some- the spectrum of threats from flooding, now and looking into
times significantly. Policy and risk management associated with the future. The nature of flooding, with recurrence times
flooding must recognize both uncertainty and past trends while of decades or centuries between major events, requires a long-
predicting for future conditions. term perspective. Geoscientists are trained to communicate this
perspective to others. A sunny parcel of riverside land may be
• Provide the public with actionable flood-risk information, attractive for a new house or shopping mall, but the substrate may
including for present and future conditions: include numerous layers of overbank alluvium documenting a
Communities need a clearer and more complete picture of their history of extreme floods. Similarly, historical precipitation data,
flood risk and what they can do about it. Comprehensive flood- gage records, and/or downscaled climate models may in some
risk information is essential to supporting planning, mitigation, watersheds show long-term trends in flood magnitude, but how-
and funding and policy priorities. Tools now exist to put such ever slow, planners would be remiss in calculating future flood
information into the hands of individual homeowners, renters, risk assuming static conditions. Tools for managing flood risk in
and business owners. Existing flood maps should be supplemented the future include avoiding flood-prone locations [14], mitigating
with data on residual risks behind levees and downstream of existing exposure, and adapting to future changes. The key to
dams, areas with repeated pluvial flooding, and projections of implementing these strategies is a broad public understanding of
future conditions resulting from development and climate change. the nature of the hazard and a public will to use the best available
Comprehensive flood risk information should drive communica- science to guide society toward a sustainable and resilient future.
tions, planning, mitigation actions, policies, and funding priorities
among all stakeholders. • Translate flood data and science into actionable policy
recommendations:
• Maximize use of natural systems and processes to mitigate The Geological Society of America, its membership, and other
flooding: scientific voices encourage the implementation of balanced, non-
Wherever possible, development and infrastructure projects partisan, flood-risk management policies. Geoscientists are poised
should incorporate non-structural and nature-based approaches to to be leaders in collaborative efforts with policy makers, planners,
flood-risk management, including strategies to retain water and and engineers to improve flood-hazard management and mitiga-
sediment in uplands and floodplains and to attenuate storm surge tion. Geoscience offers unique perspectives on a broad range of
and wave energy in coastal areas. Projects that use natural features topics relevant to flooding, founded on an appreciation of “deep
or otherwise mimic natural processes can also provide significant time” and hydrologic and atmospheric processes that interact with
co-benefits (e.g., water quality, habitat, cultural, and recreation Earth’s surface in complex ways over many scales. Geoscience
opportunities). Wherever possible, infrastructure and development professionals should help bring the best available science to the
that degrade these natural protective systems should be avoided. challenges of flooding, communicating and translating their find-
ings into tangible products for use by planners, engineers, and
OPPORTUNITIES FOR GSA AND GSA MEMBERS TO decision makers. GSA and its members should take opportunities
HELP IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS to reach out to local, state, tribal, and federal leaders to communi-
cate the relevant science and offer expertise to help improve U.S.
• Educate the next generation of flood-aware scholars and flood-risk management.
citizens:
Dealing with the challenges of flooding requires a multidisci- REFERENCES CITED
plinary understanding of earth systems, hydrology, climate, and 1. U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National
engineering, with an appreciation of social sciences and policy. Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), 2020, U.S. Billion-Dollar
From large introductory classes to specialized graduate seminars, Weather and Climate Disasters: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/ (last
accessed 6 Mar. 2020).
geoscience educators have a role in broadening students’ awareness 2. Winsemius, H.C., Aerts, J.C.J.H., van Beek, L.P.H., Bierkens, M.F.P., Bouwman,
of flood risk and training them in managing, mitigating, and A., Jongman, B., Kwadijk, J.C.J., Ligtvoet, W., Lucas, P.L., van Vuuren, D.P.,
www.geosociety.org/gsatoday 59