Researchers from the University of Georgia recently published a study detailing a new method for mapping flood risk more accurately and that reflect the uncertainty of flood predictions. The study's authors believe this new method offers a more cost-effective and simplified approach for mapping flood risk.  

The study contends the current method of flood mapping, which divides the map into discrete flood zones, doesn’t accurately convey risk. Instead, flood zones should be mapped using confidence intervals, creating a fuzzier line that decreases in flood probability the further it moves from the flood zone. Since the goal of the study is to make this new type of mapping accessible to all levels of government and all types of organizations, it provides a simplified version of mapping flood risk that should create a minimal increase in cost and time to produce. “Our simplified approach is more accessible to a broader audience, such as those with limited time, budget or technical resources,” said Tim Stephens, one of the study’s co-authors. “It can be implemented with a small increase in the level of effort for traditional regulatory flood hazard studies, making the incorporation of uncertainty much more approachable, viable and cost effective.” Access the study here or read a relevant article at UGA Today.