In the United States there has been a steady increase in flood-related damages during recent decades. Experts have provided various explanations of the primary contributors to the increased economic damage including: climate change, increased flood plain development, and flood policies. Although ... Show moreIn the United States there has been a steady increase in flood-related damages during recent decades. Experts have provided various explanations of the primary contributors to the increased economic damage including: climate change, increased flood plain development, and flood policies. Although it is likely that each factor plays some role in the increasing damage record, no study has been done to explain convincingly the direct contribution of each to the nation's mounting flood damages. Studies are usually focused on the relationship between precipitation and hydrologic flooding. This research focuses on flood damages. This study addresses the relationship between damaging floods and precipitation over a 65-year period extending from 1932-1996. This work attempts to interpret and analyze the relationship often different precipitation measures and flood-loss damages. A clear understanding of how climatologists measure precipitation is exhibited. The procedures are based on precipitation research reported in the Meteorological and Geoastrophysical Abstracts. An identification is made of the current precipitation measures and the frequency with which each is used over five years. This research demonstrates the importance of understanding extreme hydrological events and their impacts on society. It contributes to an improved assessment of resource allocation by policy makers. It addresses the reasons for a need to have decisions based on scientific findings rather than on perceptions or pre-existing beliefs. This paper also contributes to the reduction of society's vulnerability by enhancing its resilience to hydrological extreme events. Show less
