The Anatomy of Floods: The Causes and Development of 2011's Epic Flood Events

Flooding costs the United States more than $7 billion per year and claims more than 90 lives annually. During the Spring and Summer of 2011, the central U.S. experienced epic flooding, while Hurricane Irene followed by Tropical Storm Lee caused severe flooding in the east and northeastern U.S, setting numerous flood records at USGS streamgages. Dr. Robert Holmes discusses cause and effect of flooding, including a look at aspects of the 2011 epic flooding, and how USGS science assists in the overall flood mitigation efforts of the United States.