Flood Control Systems

The term flood control is misleading and over promising. We do not control floods. Rather, we examine flooding problems to understand their cause or causes and devise measures to reduce their damage. In this problem-identification process, we evaluate available data from past floods, then inventory current and projected land use to forecast the effect of future flood flows.

With the problem defined, we formulate alternatives that reduce flood stages. We apply a wide range of analytical tools to test the effectiveness of these alternatives, which might include channel enlargement, earthen levees, floodwalls, flood storage, inflow detention, stormwater treatment areas, or aquifer storage and retrieval. We then compare the alternatives to identify the plan that provides the maximum economic benefit consistent with sound environmental objectives and existing water resource features.