Flood mitigation measures in an era of evolving flood risk

Floods encountered around the world are diverse and evolving both in their nature and impact on society.

Recent floods resulted in widespread economic damages and countless social and environmental impacts, including evacuation and displacement of people, loss and damage of homes and businesses, and adverse impacts to ecosystems.

The causes and drivers of these flooding events are unique, and require, in many cases, very different approaches to manage and mitigate the adverse impacts. Such measures may include large‐scale reservoirs and stormwater management strategies to divert water from rivers during periods of high flow, structural measures to reduce the impact of rising water levels and ice jams in rivers, landscape stormwater management approaches to promote green infrastructure and more natural drainage in urban environments, and lot‐level strategies homeowners can adopt to reduce the risk of water damage from basement flooding.