FLOOD BY NUMBERS

Flood By Numbers is a 100 sq-ft exhibit that highlights the devastating nature of flooding in the United States through the use of dynamic graphics, first person audio narratives and printed materials. By creating the Flood By Numbers exhibit, Acclivity Associates helps shoulder the task of communicating flood risks and highlighting the importance of flood mitigation.

Lives and property are at stake and Acclivity intends to compel individuals to act on their own behalf. The numbers say so much- floods are deadly and costly. Incredible amounts of people and resources must be deployed in response to major flooding. A wide range of factors and considerable energy goes towards flood mitigation.

Floods cause hundreds of deaths and billions of dollars in property damage in each year. When floods make the headlines, there is a heightened awareness about the dangers and losses related to the event. Yet when faced with personal choices regarding property and life, people still build on flood prone land, opt out of flood insurance, drive through flooded roads and allow children to play in flood waters. Behavioral change, particularly when danger does not seem imminent, is hard.

Despite this challenge, floodplain managers have implemented numerous policies and programs to help communities and protect the public.

1,000,000,000 dollars of flood damage occurred in the Mississippi River Valley in 2016.

80 percent of New Orleans flooded after 50 levees failed.

3.5 billion dollars were claimed in flood insurance every year from 2005 to 2014.

150 billion dollars of damage resulted from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

52,000 hours were contributed by 5000 volunteers during the 2013 Texas floods.

6 inches of moving water can knock an adult over.

More than 9,400 Certified Floodplain Managers throughout the country work to mitigate flood risks. Before, during and after the storm, they have proven themselves as invaluable community resources. They provide management guidance to community leaders, build awareness of flood prone areas, educate the public and participate on emergency response teams.

Through the implementation of local floodplain ordinances, floodplain managers prevent approximately $1.1 billion in flood damage each and every year.

33 thousand people were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard during Hurricane Katrina.

50 percent of flood drownings are vehicle-related.

143,000 claims from Hurricane Sandy have been serviced by the National Flood Insurance Program.

75 billion dollars went towards Hurricane Katrina relief operations.

17,000 federal responders were deployed in the first week after Hurricane Sandy.

200million dollars in road repairs arose from Missouri floods in the winter of 2015.

Stories of Hurricane Katrina from New Orleans Residents

The audio in the exhibit, from Hurricane Katrina survivors, puts you knee-deep in the storm as someone whose home has flooded, who needed to be rescued or who evacuated to higher ground.

300,000 flood prone structures have been relocated through FEMA funded acquisition programs since 1993.

99 people perish each year from flooding in the United States.

240 billion gallons of water drenched Harris County, Texas in twelve hours in April 2016, the equivalent of 88 hours of Niagara Falls’ water flow.

716 shelters across sixteen states housed 27,000 people during Hurricane Sandy.

4926 service calls were processed by South Carolina troopers during the 2015 floods.

50 states have had floods or flash floods in the last five years.

Developing appropriate floodplain management means that planners and policy-makers must consider factors such as public safety, property protection, economic development and environmental conservation. In the 80-year history of federal flood control, engineered structures such as dikes, dams and levees were the primary physical solution to flood mitigation. Within the last 25 years, wetland and floodplain protection and restoration projects also have been shown to slow floodwaters as well as help to control erosion and maintain habitats. Today, flood policy has become a combination of built structures, natural protection, building ordinances, flood insurance and public education, a result of the complex needs of growing communities.

12 inches of rushing water can carry away a small car.

67,525 acres of Colorado farm lands were flooded in one event in 2013.

200,000 New Orleans residents took shelter in the city of Houston as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

50 thousand dollars of damage can result from a foot of water in an average home.

400,000 South Carolina residents were under a boil water advisory during October 2015 floods.

1,000,000 people were displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

Acclivity Associates is a management and planning consulting firm committed to
creating safe, sustainable and resilient communities. Acclivity applies expertise and
innovation in program management, planning, and communications to help our clients surmount challenges, thrive amid change and achieve their highest potential.

Based in Denver, CO, as a certified small business, Acclivity team members also call Boulder, Steamboat Springs, Seattle, and Chicago home. Our diverse backgrounds bring experience in community planning, GIS, civil engineering, disaster mitigation and recovery, art and design, architecture, and communications. Acclivity assists private, nonprofit, and government organizations to envision successful outcomes and implement practical solutions.

Program Management

The Acclivity team guides clients in improving performance, successfully managing change, and delivering successful outcomes. We currently assist clients in managing portfolios with multiple work streams, diverse geographies, and varied funding sources.

Program Management Services

Strategic program planning
Request for proposals (RFP) development
Project monitoring and reporting
Metric development and tracking
Knowledge transfer and training
Executive support
Staffing plans
Change management
Contingency planning

Planning

Acclivity specializes in a range of community planning services, with an emphasis on resiliency and sustainability, and in strategic planning for organizations and programs. Our approach to planning involves understanding and building upon our client’s strengths and values, applying rigorous technical analysis, and facilitating meaningful community and stakeholder engagement.

Planning Services

Strategic planning
Vision documents
Community wildfire protection planning
Hazard mitigation planning
Pre-disaster recovery planning
Resiliency planning

Outreach & Communications

Acclivity staff has led outreach and communications projects for all levels of government. Our goal is to identify the specific objectives for each project and to be purposeful and creative in customizing tools and approaches to best serve client needs.

Outreach and Communications Services

Facilitation
Public involvement
Stakeholder engagement
Community outreach
Media content development
Surveys
Workshops and trainings
Regulatory guidance materials

Organizations We Support

Acclivity supports the following organizations through our membership, service, or financial sponsorship:

American Planning Association (planning.org)
Association of State Floodplain Managers (floods.org)
Citizen’s Environmental Coalition (CECHouston.org)
Habitat for Humanity (habitat.org)
Mesh Coalition (meshcoalition.org)
Natural Hazards Mitigation Association (http://nhma.info)
The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS.info)
Colorado Association of Stormwater and Floodplain Managers

What’s next for Acclivity?

Our Visual Communications Team is examining the risks of using contaminated flood waters for recreation. We’re using found video clips from all over the country to explore this issue. Preview below.

Interested in talking with our team?
Please contact us at Hello@AcclivityAssociates.com

Contact Us

We want to hear from you. Interested in working with us on a project, proposal or career?
Drop us a line at: hello@AcclivityAssociates.com

FLOOD BY NUMBERS

1,000,000,000 dollars of flood damage occurred in the Mississippi River Valley in 2016.

80 percent of New Orleans flooded after 50 levees failed.

3.5 billion dollars were claimed in flood insurance every year from 2005 to 2014.

150 billion dollars of damage resulted from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

52,000 hours were contributed by 5000 volunteers during the 2013 Texas floods.

6 inches of moving water can knock an adult over.

33 thousand people were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard during Hurricane Katrina.

50 percent of flood drownings are vehicle-related.

143,000 claims from Hurricane Sandy have been serviced by the National Flood Insurance Program.

75 billion dollars went towards Hurricane Katrina relief operations.

17,000 federal responders were deployed in the first week after Hurricane Sandy.

200million dollars in road repairs arose from Missouri floods in the winter of 2015.

Stories of Hurricane Katrina from New Orleans Residents

300,000 flood prone structures have been relocated through FEMA funded acquisition programs since 1993.

99 people perish each year from flooding in the United States.

240 billion gallons of water drenched Harris County, Texas in twelve hours in April 2016, the equivalent of 88 hours of Niagara Falls’ water flow.

716 shelters across sixteen states housed 27,000 people during Hurricane Sandy.

4926 service calls were processed by South Carolina troopers during the 2015 floods.

50 states have had floods or flash floods in the last five years.

12 inches of rushing water can carry away a small car.

67,525 acres of Colorado farm lands were flooded in one event in 2013.

200,000 New Orleans residents took shelter in the city of Houston as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

50 thousand dollars of damage can result from a foot of water in an average home.

400,000 South Carolina residents were under a boil water advisory during October 2015 floods.

1,000,000 people were displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

FEMA Risk MAP

Professional Service

What’s next for Acclivity?

Interested in talking with our team?
Please contact us at Hello@AcclivityAssociates.com

Contact Us

Acclivity Associates

Follow Us

FLOOD BY NUMBERS

1,000,000,000 dollars of flood damage occurred in the Mississippi River Valley in 2016.

80 percent of New Orleans flooded after 50 levees failed.

3.5 billion dollars were claimed in flood insurance every year from 2005 to 2014.

150 billion dollars of damage resulted from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

52,000 hours were contributed by 5000 volunteers during the 2013 Texas floods.

6 inches of moving water can knock an adult over.

33 thousand people were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard during Hurricane Katrina.

50 percent of flood drownings are vehicle-related.

143,000 claims from Hurricane Sandy have been serviced by the National Flood Insurance Program.

75 billion dollars went towards Hurricane Katrina relief operations.

17,000 federal responders were deployed in the first week after Hurricane Sandy.

200million dollars in road repairs arose from Missouri floods in the winter of 2015.

Stories of Hurricane Katrina from New Orleans Residents

300,000 flood prone structures have been relocated through FEMA funded acquisition programs since 1993.

99 people perish each year from flooding in the United States.

240 billion gallons of water drenched Harris County, Texas in twelve hours in April 2016, the equivalent of 88 hours of Niagara Falls’ water flow.

716 shelters across sixteen states housed 27,000 people during Hurricane Sandy.

4926 service calls were processed by South Carolina troopers during the 2015 floods.

50 states have had floods or flash floods in the last five years.

12 inches of rushing water can carry away a small car.

67,525 acres of Colorado farm lands were flooded in one event in 2013.

200,000 New Orleans residents took shelter in the city of Houston as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

50 thousand dollars of damage can result from a foot of water in an average home.

400,000 South Carolina residents were under a boil water advisory during October 2015 floods.

1,000,000 people were displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

FEMA Risk MAP

Professional Service

What’s next for Acclivity?

Interested in talking with our team? Please contact us at Hello@AcclivityAssociates.com

Contact Us

Acclivity Associates

Follow Us

Interested in talking with our team?
Please contact us at Hello@AcclivityAssociates.com