Abstract
Severe storms in 2005 along the U.S. Gulf Coast illuminated the importance of blending stakeholder and agency efforts in an integrated approach to flood preparedness planning. Risk management policy relies on the information provided by decision-makers and stakeholders on their risk perceptions and behavior. The flood risk management process for layperson, non-U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) experts, and two USACE expert groups were studied through a literature review and the creation of two expert models. Recommendations to both incorporate and alter stakeholder perceptions of flood risks were identified by characterizing and mapping stakeholders’ perceptions about the risks as described in the literature. This chapter will discuss mental models in the context of the USACE’s need for flood preparedness and response.
This chapter is adapted from work by Wood et al. (2012). Flood risk management: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and layperson perceptions. Risk Analysis, 32(8), 1349–1368. Special thanks to Dr. Todd Bridges, Senior Research Scientist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, for his contributions to this chapter.
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Wood, M.D., Linkov, I., Kovacs, D., Butte, G. (2017). Flood Risk Management. In: Mental Modeling Approach. Risk, Systems and Decisions. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6616-5_4
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