High-resolution estimates of the US population in fluvial or coastal flood hazard areas

Abstract Flooding is the most common and damaging natural disaster in the United States (US), and understanding the number of people at risk of flooding is critical information for planning. The dataset presented here uses publicly available census and building footprint data to improve upon previou...

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Main Authors: Adam C. Gold, Ivy Steinberg-McElroy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Scientific Data
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-05717-y
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author Adam C. Gold
Ivy Steinberg-McElroy
author_facet Adam C. Gold
Ivy Steinberg-McElroy
author_sort Adam C. Gold
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Flooding is the most common and damaging natural disaster in the United States (US), and understanding the number of people at risk of flooding is critical information for planning. The dataset presented here uses publicly available census and building footprint data to improve upon previous estimates of the number of people and housing units in fluvial or coastal flood hazard areas in the contiguous US. To calculate the population and housing unit estimates, the ratio of total residential building footprint area that intersects high flood hazard areas is multiplied by 2020 Decennial Census block counts. This flexible framework will allow the dataset to be updated over time and with additional flood risk datasets such as those that incorporate pluvial flooding. These high-resolution estimates of people and housing in fluvial or coastal flood hazard areas will provide valuable information to flood resilience planning efforts.
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spelling doaj-art-a41dab24690249ff8c1133aacdbc9b852025-08-20T04:01:47ZengNature PortfolioScientific Data2052-44632025-08-011211910.1038/s41597-025-05717-yHigh-resolution estimates of the US population in fluvial or coastal flood hazard areasAdam C. Gold0Ivy Steinberg-McElroy1Environmental Defense FundEnvironmental Defense FundAbstract Flooding is the most common and damaging natural disaster in the United States (US), and understanding the number of people at risk of flooding is critical information for planning. The dataset presented here uses publicly available census and building footprint data to improve upon previous estimates of the number of people and housing units in fluvial or coastal flood hazard areas in the contiguous US. To calculate the population and housing unit estimates, the ratio of total residential building footprint area that intersects high flood hazard areas is multiplied by 2020 Decennial Census block counts. This flexible framework will allow the dataset to be updated over time and with additional flood risk datasets such as those that incorporate pluvial flooding. These high-resolution estimates of people and housing in fluvial or coastal flood hazard areas will provide valuable information to flood resilience planning efforts.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-05717-y
spellingShingle Adam C. Gold
Ivy Steinberg-McElroy
High-resolution estimates of the US population in fluvial or coastal flood hazard areas
Scientific Data
title High-resolution estimates of the US population in fluvial or coastal flood hazard areas
title_full High-resolution estimates of the US population in fluvial or coastal flood hazard areas
title_fullStr High-resolution estimates of the US population in fluvial or coastal flood hazard areas
title_full_unstemmed High-resolution estimates of the US population in fluvial or coastal flood hazard areas
title_short High-resolution estimates of the US population in fluvial or coastal flood hazard areas
title_sort high resolution estimates of the us population in fluvial or coastal flood hazard areas
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-05717-y
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AT ivysteinbergmcelroy highresolutionestimatesoftheuspopulationinfluvialorcoastalfloodhazardareas