In response to the increasing frequency of extreme weather events in the US, global flood risk intelligence firm Fathom has released a new tool designed to address the shortcomings of existing datasets. Fathom’s US Flood Map offers climate-driven flood risk information, leveraging the latest advancements in observation, terrain and climate data to offer a “consistent and unified” view of flood risk for all major flood perils, climate scenarios, and time horizons. By encompassing every river, stream, and coastline in the US, the map offers coverage and accuracy surpassing the scope of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) limited focus on major river channels and urban areas. The US Flood Map integrates Fathom’s Climate Dynamics framework, enabling the visualisation of flood risk under various emissions scenarios, temperature changes, and time horizons up to the year 2100. The map also includes a novel dam simulation using machine learning, estimating the influence of all dams on extreme flows nationwide. It also takes into account detailed land use and building data to simulate how land use affects water flow across the entire country. The tool seeks to enhance risk assessment, regulatory reporting, and decision-making processes, enables investors and other stakeholders to answer crucial questions about current and future flood risk to their portfolios.
