100-Year flood–it's all about chance
General Information Product
106
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Abstract
In the 1960's, the United States government decided to use the 1-percent annual exceedance probability (AEP) flood as the basis for the National Flood Insurance Program. The 1-percent AEP flood was thought to be a fair balance between protecting the public and overly stringent regulation. Because the 1-percent AEP flood has a 1 in 100 chance of being equaled or exceeded in any 1 year, and it has an average recurrence interval of 100 years, it often is referred to as the '100-year flood'. The term '100-year flood' is part of the national lexicon, but is often a source of confusion by those not familiar with flood science and statistics. This poster is an attempt to explain the concept, probabilistic nature, and inherent uncertainties of the '100-year flood' to the layman.
Suggested Citation
Holmes, R.R., Dinicola, K., 2010, 100-Year flood–it's all about chance: U.S. Geological Survey General Information Product 106, Poster: 42.0 x 36.0 inches; Handout: 4 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/gip106.
ISSN: 2332-354X (online)
ISSN: 2332-3531 (print)
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | 100-Year flood–it's all about chance |
| Series title | General Information Product |
| Series number | 106 |
| DOI | 10.3133/gip106 |
| Year Published | 2010 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Publisher location | Reston, VA |
| Contributing office(s) | Office of Surface Water |
| Description | Poster: 42.0 x 36.0 inches; Handout: 4 p. |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | Y |