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2. Flood Proofing Two approaches may be used to protect a property from flood damage: structural and nonstructural. Structural methods are intended to prevent flooding by altering the flow of floodwater; these include constructing levees or dams, or modifying a waterway's channel. Nonstructural methods are intended to reduce damage from encroaching floodwater by altering the property; these include acquiring and/or relocating a building, preparing emergency measures, such as sandbagging, and flood proofing structures. Rood proofing is defined as "any combination of changes or adjustments incorporated in the design, construction, or alteration of individual buildings or properties that will reduce flood damages." Unlike a structural approach, the building site remains subject to flooding; it is the building or the area adjacent to it that is modified to prevent or minimize flood damage. Some approaches to flood proofing rely on human intervention. "Human intervention" is the need for one or more people to be present to take the right steps to make a flood proofing system work. For example, if a floodwall will provide protection only if someone installs a closure or activates a pump, it is considered to need human intervention. Measures that need human intervention are considered less dependable, especially if little warning of flood conditions can be expected. since failure to perform human intervention tasks can result in flood damage. The community programs described in this report funded five approaches to flood proofing. They are summarized in the following sections: 2.1 Elevating the building, so that floodwaters do not reach any damageable portions of it. 2.2 Constructing barriers between the building and floodwaters ("barriers"). 2.3 Making the building walls and floor watertight so water does not enter ("dry flood proofing"). 2.4 Modifying the structure and relocating the contents so that when floodwaters enter the building there is little or no damage ("wet flood proofing"). 2.5 Preventing sewer backups and basement flooding. 2.1 Elevation The best way to protect a house from surface flooding. short of removing it from the flood plain, is to raise it above the design flood level. This allows floodwaters to flow under a building, causing little or no damage. Most communities have building codes for new and substantially improved buildings located in flood plains that require that this method be used. It is commonly practiced in flood prone locations throughout the country. -2-