Published in Last Word
The U.S. Geological Survey admits that current federal flood maps are outdated, and climate change will only make them more so, leaving states and localities without the information they need to plan for and mitigate flood risks.
In response the survey agency is spearheading a multiagency 3-D Elevation Program to replace outdated flood maps, specifically using the LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) System which features airborne lasers firing out 200,000 pulses of light per second. The result is a hyper-detailed 3-D map of the U.S. so precise it can detect the height of a median on a road.
The survey agency says 3-D mapping has the potential to avert billions in flood damage, overhaul infrastructure planning, revolutionize farming, and even make cars drive more efficiently. The map has emerged as a surprise in the White House climate action plan, getting $13.1 million in July for its potential to help states and localities prepare for extreme weather.
Total benefits just from flood preparation are projected between $295 million and $502 million a year, according to a 2012 USGS report, while the overall 3-D Elevation Program could generate more than $1.2 billion a year in new benefits. For more information, click here.
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