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<br />Percentage Distribution of Estimated Flood Losses in the United States <br />[(.:;i~?::~ n - ~ Major River System, 1925-1975 <br /> <br />I '-.1 \ <br />/ :::~AdFIC ? <br />! 10% '"'\ <br />( , <br />,.. <br /> <br /> <br />; <br />\ <br />, <br />i <br />\ <br />\ <br />\ <br /> <br />,-_<- WESTERN GULF <br />" <br />r"~~" <br />,-J~ \ \ <br />\ 0 1%"-' <br />~w, <br />~ <br />"~~),lr~ ':0 <br />. ~ ;'7 '~'l~ <br /> <br />. 'Q".a <='.>"'. ..P>,p"" eAVAlLABLESINCE19620NLY~ <br /> <br />'- <br /> <br />ALASKA <br /> <br />4% t1). <br />--, QV <br />\ r <br />1 <br /> <br />floods--a perennial fact of life in <br />thousands of communities. The devastat- <br />ing effects of floods have accounted <br />for approximately 75 percent of all <br />presidential disaster declarations and <br />for approximately 90 percent of all <br />damages from natural disasters. <br /> <br />Floods cause enormous economic <br />losses. The cirect damages average <br />almost $2.2 billion annually and are <br />increasing. Additional billions go <br />yearly for disaster relief, flood <br />protection and other flood related <br />costs. In most cases, prevention of <br />losses is more economical than attempts <br />to compensate victims after the fact. <br /> <br />Floods also cause great suffering <br />and hardship. During the period 1970- <br />1979, flood related deaths averaged 200 <br />annually. On the average, about 80,000 <br />people are forced from their homes on <br /> <br />~ HAWAII <br />fS;~ <br />'~ <br />{) <br /> <br />. DATA NOT AVAILABLE FOR HAWAII <br /> <br />SOURCE: NOAA <br /> <br />the floodplains each year. These losses <br />will continue as long as man vies with <br />nature for use of the floodplain. <br /> <br />The unwise development of <br />floodplains also reduces their natural <br />value by destroying wildlife habitat, <br />increasing pollution of streams, and <br />accelerating runoff and erosion. <br />Thousands of acres of floodplain are <br />altered each year. <br /> <br />This situation does not have to <br />continue. There are many ways in which <br />flood losses and the degradation of <br />natural values can be reduced by better <br />management of floodplains. No one way <br />is best for every area or type of <br />problem. Success in reducing losses <br />depends on a comprehensive proE;ram in <br />which all of the possible measu.ces are <br />considered and a selection j S fLade of <br />those appropriate to a particula:' loca- <br />hon and set of circumstances. <br /> <br />2 <br />