River Flooding

Weather and Climate
Flooding
How the magnitude and frequency of river flooding have changed at stream gauge stations across the United States since 1965.

Figures

Figure 1. Change in the Magnitude of River Flooding in the United States, 1965–2015

Data source: Slater and Villarini, 2016
Web update: August 2016

Figure 1

This figure shows changes in the size of flooding events in rivers and streams in the United States between 1965 and 2015. Blue upward-pointing symbols show locations where floods have become larger; brown downward-pointing symbols show locations where floods have become smaller. The larger, solid-color symbols represent stations where the change was statistically significant.

8 Alaska, 15 Hawaii, and 1 Puerto Rico stations fall outside the map above and are shown here on the same scale, by trend value:

Figure 2

EPA’s published figure distinguishes statistically significant stations (larger, solid-color symbols) from non-significant ones (smaller, outlined symbols). That classification is not present in this source file, only the trend value itself, so it cannot be reconstructed here without re-running EPA’s own significance test.

Show the data behind this figure
Latitude Longitude Value Unit
39.98501°N 100.56015°W -0.457 tau value
39.76985°N 100.10078°W -0.315 tau value
37.87159°N 98.87614°W -0.313 tau value
35.47310°N 100.12095°W -0.298 tau value
37.75555°N 109.47651°W -0.249 tau value
21.51628°N 157.94531°W -0.238 tau value
31.35538°N 110.58953°W -0.236 tau value
41.03244°N 98.74053°W -0.232 tau value
45.75552°N 87.20152°W -0.231 tau value
45.27446°N 84.60003°W -0.229 tau value
45.76357°N 88.46318°W -0.229 tau value
35.59069°N 81.56704°W -0.228 tau value
45.41540°N 122.17147°W -0.225 tau value
39.20154°N 114.68916°W -0.222 tau value
35.15889°N 83.39417°W -0.221 tau value
33.73644°N 110.16677°W -0.219 tau value
47.78724°N 102.76853°W -0.217 tau value
39.80054°N 106.02641°W -0.217 tau value
40.64986°N 123.49420°W -0.216 tau value
35.16811°N 99.50731°W -0.214 tau value
62.34644°N 150.01920°W -0.213 tau value
46.49910°N 87.88652°W -0.211 tau value
41.79150°N 124.07619°W -0.209 tau value
38.91191°N 111.53047°W -0.206 tau value
33.82227°N 109.81454°W -0.206 tau value
29.46691°N 96.81276°W -0.202 tau value
46.03053°N 86.16125°W -0.202 tau value
39.70627°N 123.32529°W -0.201 tau value
37.47981°N 83.67519°W -0.199 tau value
35.39611°N 82.93750°W -0.198 tau value
36.31139°N 80.80722°W -0.195 tau value
35.68444°N 81.40333°W -0.192 tau value
39.42822°N 123.73779°W -0.191 tau value
35.66750°N 83.07361°W -0.189 tau value
44.82191°N 90.07958°W -0.189 tau value
44.38595°N 123.83178°W -0.187 tau value
41.53462°N 117.41790°W -0.186 tau value
34.89037°N 83.53044°W -0.186 tau value
42.11049°N 110.70962°W -0.184 tau value
33.76002°N 116.55002°W -0.180 tau value
20.81769°N 156.14103°W -0.179 tau value
41.29929°N 124.05118°W -0.178 tau value
41.37763°N 123.47756°W -0.177 tau value
33.09985°N 83.72351°W -0.177 tau value
29.47273°N 100.23646°W -0.177 tau value
47.58605°N 115.35515°W -0.172 tau value
35.42345°N 82.11150°W -0.171 tau value
40.35125°N 124.00393°W -0.170 tau value
27.96501°N 98.96697°W -0.169 tau value
36.17500°N 81.16889°W -0.167 tau value
42.73110°N 90.64041°W -0.167 tau value
39.87579°N 111.03739°W -0.166 tau value
30.06410°N 99.38699°W -0.164 tau value
33.80502°N 116.55918°W -0.164 tau value
41.01096°N 124.08173°W -0.163 tau value
34.72863°N 111.77571°W -0.163 tau value
43.57414°N 90.64319°W -0.163 tau value
40.48042°N 123.89088°W -0.162 tau value
29.48856°N 99.70478°W -0.159 tau value
42.16583°N 113.98361°W -0.159 tau value
34.62425°N 86.30637°W -0.157 tau value
41.93324°N 115.67453°W -0.156 tau value
20.08533°N 155.68117°W -0.156 tau value
28.29195°N 97.27916°W -0.155 tau value
35.12750°N 83.61861°W -0.154 tau value
37.80290°N 80.04700°W -0.154 tau value
19.76363°N 155.15167°W -0.153 tau value
32.83477°N 116.62307°W -0.152 tau value
43.17690°N 109.20291°W -0.151 tau value
34.28538°N 87.39891°W -0.151 tau value
64.88569°N 147.24965°W -0.151 tau value
34.53864°N 111.69404°W -0.150 tau value
35.14333°N 82.82472°W -0.149 tau value
34.81398°N 83.30599°W -0.146 tau value
36.07139°N 81.40306°W -0.145 tau value
46.42667°N 102.55183°W -0.145 tau value
34.22223°N 118.17757°W -0.145 tau value
29.21525°N 97.44944°W -0.145 tau value
46.08639°N 115.97667°W -0.145 tau value
30.91157°N 98.03697°W -0.143 tau value
48.39578°N 93.54933°W -0.142 tau value
32.19556°N 83.90222°W -0.142 tau value
43.16667°N 101.63015°W -0.141 tau value
42.89150°N 124.07065°W -0.141 tau value
43.45215°N 110.70409°W -0.141 tau value
37.67220°N 113.03467°W -0.138 tau value
29.56967°N 99.24671°W -0.136 tau value
35.83151°N 82.18429°W -0.134 tau value
39.03111°N 97.04029°W -0.134 tau value
37.72901°N 80.04228°W -0.133 tau value
37.50624°N 80.10672°W -0.133 tau value
35.46167°N 82.86972°W -0.131 tau value
39.13907°N 97.83696°W -0.131 tau value
42.72027°N 90.81929°W -0.131 tau value
42.80400°N 123.61091°W -0.130 tau value
33.91267°N 78.71502°W -0.130 tau value
28.57277°N 82.15536°W -0.130 tau value
41.74438°N 111.78439°W -0.129 tau value
34.42083°N 117.83951°W -0.129 tau value
47.02779°N 103.05324°W -0.127 tau value
44.04984°N 123.42621°W -0.126 tau value
43.34984°N 122.72894°W -0.126 tau value
20.80686°N 156.11422°W -0.126 tau value
45.94302°N 86.70570°W -0.125 tau value
42.09605°N 110.41656°W -0.124 tau value
48.32958°N 120.69177°W -0.124 tau value
32.73290°N 99.14063°W -0.123 tau value
36.64735°N 80.97897°W -0.122 tau value
42.32158°N 96.48768°W -0.122 tau value
31.34295°N 85.61049°W -0.121 tau value
36.21468°N 120.47071°W -0.120 tau value
39.61564°N 79.70477°W -0.119 tau value
47.15445°N 102.05989°W -0.118 tau value
36.57097°N 80.12949°W -0.117 tau value
37.03920°N 98.47021°W -0.117 tau value
45.30803°N 90.95653°W -0.115 tau value
41.70002°N 91.48767°W -0.115 tau value
29.50468°N 99.78145°W -0.115 tau value
34.59666°N 119.90875°W -0.115 tau value
36.89678°N 81.74623°W -0.114 tau value
39.64582°N 106.38225°W -0.114 tau value
60.47693°N 151.08167°W -0.113 tau value
36.25028°N 81.04444°W -0.112 tau value
35.15000°N 83.37972°W -0.112 tau value
47.23613°N 102.76991°W -0.111 tau value
35.66169°N 106.74337°W -0.111 tau value
43.14278°N 110.97667°W -0.109 tau value
47.27464°N 116.18905°W -0.109 tau value
42.70897°N 73.19677°W -0.108 tau value
45.70400°N 123.75540°W -0.108 tau value
21.36350°N 157.84420°W -0.107 tau value
39.06265°N 96.15025°W -0.105 tau value
46.58411°N 88.57597°W -0.104 tau value
30.68056°N 82.56056°W -0.104 tau value
41.58525°N 106.22279°W -0.104 tau value
43.57774°N 107.13840°W -0.103 tau value
35.49306°N 81.68222°W -0.103 tau value
37.03763°N 80.55672°W -0.103 tau value
35.78562°N 83.88460°W -0.103 tau value
46.97762°N 121.16870°W -0.102 tau value
45.00691°N 107.61510°W -0.101 tau value
31.41850°N 86.98664°W -0.101 tau value
22.08574°N 159.56887°W -0.101 tau value
48.82292°N 120.14592°W -0.101 tau value
46.57501°N 85.26955°W -0.101 tau value
30.09827°N 83.47181°W -0.100 tau value
33.74502°N 116.53557°W -0.098 tau value
39.89925°N 98.25042°W -0.098 tau value
43.83806°N 110.44111°W -0.096 tau value
45.39956°N 122.13731°W -0.095 tau value
31.57349°N 86.25162°W -0.095 tau value
29.31431°N 99.48047°W -0.093 tau value
39.72960°N 123.64391°W -0.091 tau value
37.41763°N 79.93532°W -0.090 tau value
29.42857°N 99.99729°W -0.089 tau value
36.00056°N 80.74556°W -0.087 tau value
30.69875°N 92.89319°W -0.087 tau value
37.12681°N 78.95974°W -0.087 tau value
36.65178°N 81.84401°W -0.082 tau value
44.54012°N 122.43592°W -0.082 tau value
30.88907°N 90.84455°W -0.082 tau value
40.05460°N 122.02415°W -0.082 tau value
36.56819°N 79.98727°W -0.081 tau value
36.26802°N 121.06630°W -0.081 tau value
40.77995°N 111.80604°W -0.081 tau value
37.16509°N 83.30796°W -0.080 tau value
39.11633°N 95.01088°W -0.080 tau value
36.37226°N 104.97000°W -0.080 tau value
39.43157°N 120.23798°W -0.079 tau value
33.63114°N 116.39223°W -0.079 tau value
41.90281°N 89.69622°W -0.077 tau value
37.17320°N 79.52031°W -0.077 tau value
36.24580°N 121.77329°W -0.077 tau value
34.16087°N 111.69292°W -0.076 tau value
61.70974°N 149.23194°W -0.076 tau value
37.41542°N 78.63584°W -0.076 tau value
31.02768°N 86.70996°W -0.075 tau value
36.23917°N 81.82222°W -0.075 tau value
32.64846°N 99.00451°W -0.075 tau value
38.63706°N 78.85280°W -0.074 tau value
46.37611°N 100.93444°W -0.074 tau value
36.71681°N 77.83166°W -0.074 tau value
39.94778°N 96.10861°W -0.074 tau value
33.32927°N 99.46508°W -0.074 tau value
35.18278°N 79.17750°W -0.074 tau value
48.49524°N 114.01012°W -0.073 tau value
30.64352°N 99.09588°W -0.072 tau value
44.02774°N 107.08090°W -0.072 tau value
46.09167°N 101.33374°W -0.070 tau value
40.49633°N 112.57440°W -0.070 tau value
29.37079°N 99.28782°W -0.070 tau value
37.70236°N 79.02753°W -0.069 tau value
36.40217°N 120.43349°W -0.069 tau value
37.07931°N 78.76362°W -0.069 tau value
43.82805°N 103.19602°W -0.069 tau value
45.83678°N 122.46621°W -0.068 tau value
35.23553°N 120.47239°W -0.068 tau value
28.95998°N 96.68637°W -0.067 tau value
34.37955°N 94.23576°W -0.067 tau value
37.73159°N 119.55877°W -0.065 tau value
35.29880°N 92.40393°W -0.065 tau value
34.00427°N 97.56697°W -0.064 tau value
30.32578°N 82.73818°W -0.064 tau value
36.43947°N 105.50362°W -0.063 tau value
41.29454°N 73.39512°W -0.063 tau value
39.97939°N 112.38023°W -0.062 tau value
42.70342°N 72.67065°W -0.062 tau value
38.71069°N 95.83603°W -0.062 tau value
40.01405°N 121.94832°W -0.062 tau value
36.19417°N 78.58306°W -0.061 tau value
28.44778°N 81.74008°W -0.060 tau value
37.86261°N 98.01385°W -0.060 tau value
39.23221°N 107.22727°W -0.060 tau value
36.76039°N 81.63123°W -0.060 tau value
38.71463°N 119.76490°W -0.060 tau value
37.33939°N 118.97345°W -0.060 tau value
22.13571°N 159.55776°W -0.059 tau value
44.20828°N 109.55489°W -0.059 tau value
31.53629°N 92.40847°W -0.059 tau value
31.02528°N 89.01667°W -0.057 tau value
37.71687°N 119.66628°W -0.055 tau value
44.09284°N 72.33565°W -0.055 tau value
46.15417°N 102.47405°W -0.055 tau value
36.61958°N 79.50419°W -0.053 tau value
41.92700°N 80.60397°W -0.053 tau value
30.62575°N 97.69112°W -0.053 tau value
37.70821°N 96.22360°W -0.053 tau value
43.87249°N 103.33658°W -0.052 tau value
38.51908°N 120.21269°W -0.051 tau value
27.19949°N 81.98842°W -0.051 tau value
33.37596°N 92.77711°W -0.051 tau value
38.28053°N 112.56827°W -0.050 tau value
38.69345°N 78.64279°W -0.050 tau value
40.71590°N 79.69949°W -0.049 tau value
55.39160°N 131.19558°W -0.049 tau value
46.59538°N 122.45956°W -0.049 tau value
36.99138°N 91.01351°W -0.049 tau value
36.99737°N 78.34972°W -0.047 tau value
39.64832°N 106.32308°W -0.047 tau value
43.73596°N 122.87340°W -0.046 tau value
45.49429°N 122.03592°W -0.046 tau value
36.39333°N 81.40694°W -0.046 tau value
37.79180°N 79.75949°W -0.046 tau value
37.33943°N 112.60438°W -0.045 tau value
36.50836°N 105.53084°W -0.045 tau value
37.62276°N 112.51688°W -0.045 tau value
41.63117°N 78.57669°W -0.043 tau value
43.75249°N 101.52487°W -0.042 tau value
37.66596°N 79.91144°W -0.042 tau value
44.50802°N 107.40369°W -0.041 tau value
33.81288°N 98.08504°W -0.039 tau value
31.28489°N 97.88502°W -0.039 tau value
43.71424°N 72.41815°W -0.036 tau value
40.21258°N 77.92528°W -0.035 tau value
36.18333°N 77.87611°W -0.035 tau value
46.15083°N 115.58722°W -0.035 tau value
38.80368°N 83.42102°W -0.035 tau value
45.11188°N 110.79438°W -0.035 tau value
38.19645°N 96.82458°W -0.035 tau value
46.47833°N 116.25750°W -0.034 tau value
38.32513°N 78.09556°W -0.034 tau value
30.61602°N 90.24870°W -0.033 tau value
39.76026°N 105.90640°W -0.033 tau value
42.73999°N 91.26180°W -0.032 tau value
39.10741°N 120.16214°W -0.031 tau value
32.77792°N 94.35742°W -0.031 tau value
39.59637°N 106.26503°W -0.030 tau value
33.97420°N 112.09905°W -0.029 tau value
30.99602°N 92.67375°W -0.027 tau value
36.54169°N 105.55640°W -0.026 tau value
39.88500°N 74.50528°W -0.026 tau value
37.64202°N 84.66078°W -0.025 tau value
33.69421°N 111.54180°W -0.025 tau value
35.43838°N 103.52579°W -0.024 tau value
30.33938°N 96.90470°W -0.024 tau value
39.09938°N 95.72495°W -0.022 tau value
47.23739°N 68.58264°W -0.021 tau value
45.44913°N 89.97931°W -0.021 tau value
39.23833°N 95.88860°W -0.021 tau value
41.11126°N 122.70558°W -0.021 tau value
48.13834°N 100.53986°W -0.020 tau value
42.79083°N 118.86750°W -0.020 tau value
46.48661°N 90.69630°W -0.019 tau value
37.06709°N 77.60249°W -0.018 tau value
45.45262°N 121.89147°W -0.018 tau value
37.86958°N 78.82335°W -0.018 tau value
40.37092°N 77.40221°W -0.017 tau value
45.25582°N 100.84292°W -0.016 tau value
36.25548°N 94.43394°W -0.015 tau value
33.47928°N 87.59723°W -0.015 tau value
39.12705°N 79.46839°W -0.015 tau value
39.17221°N 106.38919°W -0.015 tau value
44.32665°N 100.38430°W -0.014 tau value
37.15408°N 91.35816°W -0.013 tau value
36.64868°N 91.20082°W -0.013 tau value
37.68265°N 93.37033°W -0.012 tau value
44.08528°N 115.62222°W -0.011 tau value
44.36095°N 121.99562°W -0.010 tau value
44.39179°N 122.49758°W -0.009 tau value
38.64369°N 83.21574°W -0.009 tau value
40.69076°N 115.47700°W -0.008 tau value
43.03328°N 92.50354°W -0.007 tau value
43.46418°N 86.23257°W -0.006 tau value
35.49591°N 87.83280°W -0.006 tau value
35.38722°N 79.83139°W -0.006 tau value
29.97938°N 97.91001°W -0.005 tau value
37.67316°N 82.28014°W -0.005 tau value
33.03843°N 101.19763°W -0.005 tau value
37.26818°N 80.70951°W -0.004 tau value
43.60139°N 100.74986°W -0.003 tau value
39.62582°N 106.27808°W 0.002 tau value
39.59443°N 105.97252°W 0.002 tau value
30.35885°N 82.08150°W 0.003 tau value
39.68192°N 96.44289°W 0.005 tau value
44.96167°N 115.50000°W 0.005 tau value
44.79151°N 122.57897°W 0.005 tau value
38.53068°N 77.81360°W 0.006 tau value
38.54373°N 79.83311°W 0.007 tau value
22.06877°N 159.41526°W 0.007 tau value
46.84047°N 115.62070°W 0.007 tau value
44.14388°N 103.45491°W 0.008 tau value
37.60605°N 122.02385°W 0.008 tau value
37.26078°N 122.32886°W 0.009 tau value
38.33763°N 79.24004°W 0.011 tau value
35.98318°N 92.74755°W 0.011 tau value
43.65944°N 115.72722°W 0.011 tau value
42.23731°N 72.89565°W 0.012 tau value
22.13267°N 159.61998°W 0.013 tau value
41.47368°N 77.23081°W 0.016 tau value
43.74833°N 99.55649°W 0.016 tau value
37.71542°N 78.98169°W 0.017 tau value
41.18698°N 90.96737°W 0.017 tau value
21.56233°N 158.00025°W 0.019 tau value
39.65614°N 79.39411°W 0.020 tau value
39.06369°N 81.88180°W 0.020 tau value
36.37083°N 77.02556°W 0.021 tau value
41.08481°N 75.21463°W 0.021 tau value
40.52035°N 79.93811°W 0.021 tau value
37.56132°N 121.68384°W 0.023 tau value
27.37504°N 81.79647°W 0.023 tau value
31.70694°N 89.40694°W 0.024 tau value
43.56646°N 71.74786°W 0.025 tau value
44.15034°N 72.06509°W 0.025 tau value
42.81099°N 98.17586°W 0.025 tau value
41.08815°N 75.03767°W 0.025 tau value
41.38951°N 77.69082°W 0.026 tau value
46.90372°N 122.03511°W 0.026 tau value
35.70837°N 105.68252°W 0.028 tau value
45.71958°N 118.32329°W 0.028 tau value
42.63842°N 72.72509°W 0.029 tau value
44.71512°N 123.88733°W 0.030 tau value
35.65199°N 105.31890°W 0.030 tau value
30.33660°N 95.10410°W 0.031 tau value
39.01955°N 77.57749°W 0.031 tau value
35.77725°N 105.65807°W 0.031 tau value
48.34109°N 96.81812°W 0.033 tau value
40.36285°N 81.86236°W 0.034 tau value
22.17838°N 159.41859°W 0.035 tau value
44.91361°N 115.99722°W 0.038 tau value
40.02477°N 90.63179°W 0.040 tau value
64.90237°N 146.35937°W 0.041 tau value
38.15853°N 91.10846°W 0.041 tau value
37.47750°N 107.54367°W 0.041 tau value
27.47365°N 82.21120°W 0.041 tau value
34.35452°N 99.74037°W 0.042 tau value
48.58889°N 100.44208°W 0.042 tau value
41.47590°N 77.82583°W 0.043 tau value
41.76645°N 78.71864°W 0.043 tau value
44.86894°N 72.27010°W 0.044 tau value
40.68367°N 78.23362°W 0.045 tau value
48.67263°N 121.07290°W 0.045 tau value
45.61987°N 117.72659°W 0.046 tau value
42.80086°N 83.09021°W 0.046 tau value
34.82889°N 77.83222°W 0.046 tau value
37.31549°N 121.12521°W 0.047 tau value
37.75047°N 93.26618°W 0.047 tau value
39.70219°N 79.13639°W 0.047 tau value
37.14013°N 80.26643°W 0.047 tau value
38.19540°N 79.57032°W 0.050 tau value
44.48248°N 103.86159°W 0.050 tau value
29.97941°N 81.85204°W 0.051 tau value
33.06118°N 108.53728°W 0.053 tau value
39.08122°N 78.32945°W 0.053 tau value
41.32508°N 76.91246°W 0.053 tau value
44.43639°N 85.69868°W 0.054 tau value
44.86920°N 69.95510°W 0.054 tau value
34.63844°N 94.61272°W 0.054 tau value
35.92120°N 94.83856°W 0.054 tau value
47.00065°N 123.49488°W 0.055 tau value
36.39778°N 79.19667°W 0.056 tau value
46.75261°N 122.08372°W 0.056 tau value
41.31728°N 78.10306°W 0.058 tau value
36.62200°N 90.84762°W 0.060 tau value
36.62303°N 92.24813°W 0.061 tau value
30.48139°N 94.77972°W 0.062 tau value
18.03246°N 66.03239°W 0.063 tau value
40.66176°N 75.62685°W 0.063 tau value
40.32342°N 77.16887°W 0.064 tau value
47.56889°N 116.25333°W 0.067 tau value
37.48660°N 121.20910°W 0.067 tau value
29.78661°N 83.32153°W 0.067 tau value
38.85812°N 83.92854°W 0.068 tau value
44.26867°N 71.63036°W 0.068 tau value
41.36587°N 89.49843°W 0.068 tau value
43.94501°N 86.27869°W 0.069 tau value
39.62997°N 76.40331°W 0.070 tau value
31.42583°N 89.41472°W 0.070 tau value
21.15550°N 156.76197°W 0.070 tau value
22.07570°N 159.39581°W 0.071 tau value
35.99535°N 92.21265°W 0.072 tau value
20.88568°N 156.25274°W 0.073 tau value
41.70702°N 76.48467°W 0.075 tau value
36.64596°N 80.91924°W 0.077 tau value
41.57895°N 78.29251°W 0.077 tau value
48.26149°N 122.04764°W 0.077 tau value
47.35066°N 121.66316°W 0.078 tau value
40.95189°N 93.25985°W 0.078 tau value
38.37900°N 80.48397°W 0.079 tau value
39.81799°N 91.51770°W 0.082 tau value
64.47236°N 146.92627°W 0.082 tau value
46.77260°N 122.59401°W 0.083 tau value
45.29163°N 96.48756°W 0.084 tau value
41.86648°N 74.48710°W 0.085 tau value
43.77640°N 98.24567°W 0.086 tau value
38.44172°N 89.41675°W 0.086 tau value
43.02889°N 99.78067°W 0.087 tau value
33.16673°N 108.64978°W 0.087 tau value
41.41841°N 77.03275°W 0.088 tau value
38.35041°N 77.97500°W 0.089 tau value
40.13257°N 82.14792°W 0.089 tau value
44.30399°N 70.53968°W 0.090 tau value
40.33032°N 90.89625°W 0.091 tau value
47.37011°N 121.62510°W 0.092 tau value
41.35702°N 76.53467°W 0.092 tau value
41.79091°N 77.01469°W 0.093 tau value
47.22916°N 98.12482°W 0.093 tau value
39.12288°N 79.68117°W 0.093 tau value
41.67177°N 72.05230°W 0.094 tau value
37.40237°N 93.80203°W 0.094 tau value
38.01897°N 94.71367°W 0.094 tau value
48.42456°N 121.56846°W 0.094 tau value
38.99122°N 79.17587°W 0.094 tau value
39.79582°N 106.03057°W 0.095 tau value
44.60797°N 67.93524°W 0.095 tau value
38.58734°N 77.42860°W 0.097 tau value
35.06417°N 77.46139°W 0.098 tau value
47.80555°N 98.71622°W 0.099 tau value
41.41340°N 78.19695°W 0.100 tau value
42.68259°N 72.11508°W 0.100 tau value
44.51172°N 71.83731°W 0.101 tau value
41.52174°N 77.44748°W 0.101 tau value
42.10620°N 74.73043°W 0.102 tau value
48.01426°N 123.13268°W 0.104 tau value
39.57006°N 79.10194°W 0.106 tau value
45.17501°N 69.31470°W 0.106 tau value
47.71232°N 121.78873°W 0.106 tau value
42.11703°N 74.38015°W 0.107 tau value
30.71631°N 94.95882°W 0.109 tau value
47.43277°N 98.02760°W 0.111 tau value
48.16872°N 121.47067°W 0.111 tau value
48.65596°N 121.23846°W 0.112 tau value
38.18595°N 80.13062°W 0.114 tau value
39.51078°N 76.67650°W 0.114 tau value
42.31953°N 74.43654°W 0.114 tau value
38.22892°N 75.47144°W 0.115 tau value
30.12937°N 84.49435°W 0.115 tau value
37.47227°N 88.54727°W 0.115 tau value
41.89009°N 74.58988°W 0.117 tau value
42.16620°N 75.13989°W 0.118 tau value
47.70611°N 115.97917°W 0.119 tau value
44.01359°N 103.83048°W 0.119 tau value
41.57534°N 78.69225°W 0.121 tau value
37.87708°N 76.90052°W 0.122 tau value
42.12009°N 74.81849°W 0.123 tau value
47.70677°N 121.60011°W 0.124 tau value
43.14870°N 70.96506°W 0.125 tau value
39.14893°N 89.35230°W 0.127 tau value
30.73611°N 88.78111°W 0.128 tau value
39.61236°N 77.23744°W 0.128 tau value
39.72284°N 83.88271°W 0.129 tau value
37.28125°N 95.03267°W 0.129 tau value
47.38649°N 121.84622°W 0.130 tau value
43.74729°N 75.33435°W 0.133 tau value
43.93451°N 72.65788°W 0.133 tau value
47.80675°N 124.25103°W 0.134 tau value
39.13574°N 120.47854°W 0.134 tau value
45.50097°N 68.30596°W 0.134 tau value
44.39044°N 70.97964°W 0.136 tau value
42.14481°N 74.65349°W 0.136 tau value
41.02358°N 106.82477°W 0.136 tau value
30.81889°N 93.78556°W 0.139 tau value
41.50450°N 84.42967°W 0.139 tau value
41.07814°N 76.43106°W 0.140 tau value
41.37024°N 106.52058°W 0.140 tau value
41.84371°N 72.16897°W 0.140 tau value
41.83124°N 100.10078°W 0.142 tau value
40.14282°N 91.33737°W 0.143 tau value
39.89842°N 78.13223°W 0.146 tau value
41.05951°N 77.60583°W 0.147 tau value
41.24688°N 93.26607°W 0.148 tau value
47.55805°N 98.86289°W 0.148 tau value
44.64275°N 70.58878°W 0.149 tau value
38.72833°N 75.56186°W 0.150 tau value
39.27477°N 85.70165°W 0.153 tau value
46.61732°N 123.27764°W 0.153 tau value
40.39241°N 91.59788°W 0.156 tau value
46.62010°N 122.94513°W 0.158 tau value
40.63004°N 87.72392°W 0.177 tau value
47.68398°N 123.01155°W 0.182 tau value
38.90578°N 75.51275°W 0.188 tau value
38.80422°N 85.67386°W 0.189 tau value
41.10667°N 74.95222°W 0.197 tau value
42.39313°N 76.54494°W 0.200 tau value
46.65093°N 123.65266°W 0.201 tau value
41.85256°N 79.31727°W 0.203 tau value
39.07033°N 85.48608°W 0.220 tau value
39.01004°N 87.94559°W 0.224 tau value
41.21900°N 92.90853°W 0.232 tau value
40.92283°N 83.34881°W 0.233 tau value
44.33457°N 122.04701°W 0.234 tau value
47.51426°N 123.32989°W 0.239 tau value
39.81254°N 86.95390°W 0.240 tau value
44.87739°N 71.05749°W 0.241 tau value
42.35337°N 85.35389°W 0.265 tau value
38.99719°N 75.78581°W 0.283 tau value
55.39519°N 132.40863°W 0.325 tau value
Figure 3

Figure 2. Change in the Frequency of River Flooding in the United States, 1965–2015

Data source: Slater and Villarini, 2016
Web update: August 2016

Figure 4

This figure shows changes in the frequency of flooding events in rivers and streams in the United States between 1965 and 2015. Blue upward-pointing symbols show locations where floods have become more frequent; brown downward-pointing symbols show locations where floods have become less frequent. The larger, solid-color symbols represent stations where the change was statistically significant.

7 Alaska, 11 Hawaii, and 1 Puerto Rico stations fall outside the map above and are shown here on the same scale, by trend value:

Figure 5

EPA’s published figure distinguishes statistically significant stations (larger, solid-color symbols) from non-significant ones (smaller, outlined symbols). That classification is not present in this source file, only the trend value itself, so it cannot be reconstructed here without re-running EPA’s own significance test.

Show the data behind this figure
Latitude Longitude Value Unit
38.88743°N 117.24537°W -0.478 slope value
42.16583°N 113.98361°W -0.030 slope value
39.76985°N 100.10078°W -0.030 slope value
37.87159°N 98.87614°W -0.026 slope value
33.73644°N 110.16677°W -0.025 slope value
45.76357°N 88.46318°W -0.025 slope value
33.80502°N 116.55918°W -0.023 slope value
35.47310°N 100.12095°W -0.023 slope value
33.82227°N 109.81454°W -0.023 slope value
42.09605°N 110.41656°W -0.020 slope value
43.45215°N 110.70409°W -0.020 slope value
38.91191°N 111.53047°W -0.020 slope value
33.76002°N 116.55002°W -0.019 slope value
46.15417°N 102.47405°W -0.019 slope value
21.51628°N 157.94531°W -0.019 slope value
45.75552°N 87.20152°W -0.019 slope value
27.96501°N 98.96697°W -0.019 slope value
47.23613°N 102.76991°W -0.019 slope value
45.94302°N 86.70570°W -0.019 slope value
43.14278°N 110.97667°W -0.018 slope value
46.42667°N 102.55183°W -0.018 slope value
39.80054°N 106.02641°W -0.018 slope value
39.20154°N 114.68916°W -0.018 slope value
41.93324°N 115.67453°W -0.018 slope value
45.27446°N 84.60003°W -0.017 slope value
39.23833°N 95.88860°W -0.017 slope value
39.70627°N 123.32529°W -0.017 slope value
22.13571°N 159.55776°W -0.017 slope value
42.11049°N 110.70962°W -0.017 slope value
37.75555°N 109.47651°W -0.017 slope value
33.74502°N 116.53557°W -0.016 slope value
22.08574°N 159.56887°W -0.016 slope value
22.13267°N 159.61998°W -0.016 slope value
39.97939°N 112.38023°W -0.016 slope value
37.33939°N 118.97345°W -0.015 slope value
46.49910°N 87.88652°W -0.015 slope value
41.74438°N 111.78439°W -0.015 slope value
39.10741°N 120.16214°W -0.015 slope value
20.08533°N 155.68117°W -0.015 slope value
36.89678°N 81.74623°W -0.015 slope value
39.43157°N 120.23798°W -0.015 slope value
35.38722°N 79.83139°W -0.015 slope value
35.15889°N 83.39417°W -0.014 slope value
36.37226°N 104.97000°W -0.014 slope value
46.03053°N 86.16125°W -0.014 slope value
44.08528°N 115.62222°W -0.014 slope value
42.80400°N 123.61091°W -0.014 slope value
34.81398°N 83.30599°W -0.014 slope value
39.87579°N 111.03739°W -0.014 slope value
40.05460°N 122.02415°W -0.014 slope value
31.02528°N 89.01667°W -0.014 slope value
30.32578°N 82.73818°W -0.013 slope value
22.06877°N 159.41526°W -0.013 slope value
43.57774°N 107.13840°W -0.013 slope value
43.65944°N 115.72722°W -0.013 slope value
62.34644°N 150.01920°W -0.013 slope value
31.35538°N 110.58953°W -0.013 slope value
30.33938°N 96.90470°W -0.013 slope value
47.15445°N 102.05989°W -0.013 slope value
33.69421°N 111.54180°W -0.013 slope value
40.35125°N 124.00393°W -0.013 slope value
35.16811°N 99.50731°W -0.012 slope value
45.00691°N 107.61510°W -0.012 slope value
29.31431°N 99.48047°W -0.012 slope value
37.26818°N 80.70951°W -0.012 slope value
37.16509°N 83.30796°W -0.012 slope value
35.66169°N 106.74337°W -0.012 slope value
55.39160°N 131.19558°W -0.012 slope value
30.62575°N 97.69112°W -0.012 slope value
40.64986°N 123.49420°W -0.012 slope value
36.64868°N 91.20082°W -0.012 slope value
36.37083°N 77.02556°W -0.012 slope value
36.21468°N 120.47071°W -0.012 slope value
48.39578°N 93.54933°W -0.011 slope value
20.80686°N 156.11422°W -0.011 slope value
44.50802°N 107.40369°W -0.011 slope value
35.68444°N 81.40333°W -0.011 slope value
41.53462°N 117.41790°W -0.011 slope value
35.23553°N 120.47239°W -0.011 slope value
35.42345°N 82.11150°W -0.011 slope value
19.76363°N 155.15167°W -0.011 slope value
38.51908°N 120.21269°W -0.011 slope value
35.39611°N 82.93750°W -0.011 slope value
32.64846°N 99.00451°W -0.011 slope value
36.62303°N 92.24813°W -0.011 slope value
41.79150°N 124.07619°W -0.011 slope value
38.71463°N 119.76490°W -0.011 slope value
34.42083°N 117.83951°W -0.011 slope value
47.58605°N 115.35515°W -0.011 slope value
40.48042°N 123.89088°W -0.010 slope value
22.17838°N 159.41859°W -0.010 slope value
46.37611°N 100.93444°W -0.010 slope value
35.59069°N 81.56704°W -0.010 slope value
48.49524°N 114.01012°W -0.010 slope value
39.64832°N 106.32308°W -0.010 slope value
46.15083°N 115.58722°W -0.010 slope value
46.57501°N 85.26955°W -0.010 slope value
28.29195°N 97.27916°W -0.010 slope value
44.91361°N 115.99722°W -0.010 slope value
39.03111°N 97.04029°W -0.010 slope value
35.18278°N 79.17750°W -0.010 slope value
43.17690°N 109.20291°W -0.010 slope value
37.41763°N 79.93532°W -0.010 slope value
34.22223°N 118.17757°W -0.010 slope value
40.69076°N 115.47700°W -0.010 slope value
34.72863°N 111.77571°W -0.010 slope value
29.56967°N 99.24671°W -0.009 slope value
36.99737°N 78.34972°W -0.009 slope value
64.88569°N 147.24965°W -0.009 slope value
33.91267°N 78.71502°W -0.009 slope value
47.02779°N 103.05324°W -0.009 slope value
38.71069°N 95.83603°W -0.009 slope value
35.49591°N 87.83280°W -0.009 slope value
41.90281°N 89.69622°W -0.009 slope value
29.50468°N 99.78145°W -0.009 slope value
33.47928°N 87.59723°W -0.009 slope value
36.26802°N 121.06630°W -0.009 slope value
37.73159°N 119.55877°W -0.008 slope value
39.11633°N 95.01088°W -0.008 slope value
30.91157°N 98.03697°W -0.008 slope value
39.23221°N 107.22727°W -0.008 slope value
40.77995°N 111.80604°W -0.008 slope value
30.99602°N 92.67375°W -0.008 slope value
37.47981°N 83.67519°W -0.008 slope value
37.56132°N 121.68384°W -0.008 slope value
39.72960°N 123.64391°W -0.008 slope value
21.56233°N 158.00025°W -0.008 slope value
39.09938°N 95.72495°W -0.008 slope value
43.34984°N 122.72894°W -0.008 slope value
36.40217°N 120.43349°W -0.008 slope value
29.21525°N 97.44944°W -0.008 slope value
34.89037°N 83.53044°W -0.008 slope value
29.48856°N 99.70478°W -0.008 slope value
47.38649°N 121.84622°W -0.008 slope value
42.89150°N 124.07065°W -0.008 slope value
46.58411°N 88.57597°W -0.008 slope value
32.83477°N 116.62307°W -0.008 slope value
37.64202°N 84.66078°W -0.007 slope value
35.12750°N 83.61861°W -0.007 slope value
37.40237°N 93.80203°W -0.007 slope value
29.46691°N 96.81276°W -0.007 slope value
35.92120°N 94.83856°W -0.007 slope value
37.15408°N 91.35816°W -0.007 slope value
33.06118°N 108.53728°W -0.007 slope value
34.59666°N 119.90875°W -0.007 slope value
39.12705°N 79.46839°W -0.007 slope value
32.19556°N 83.90222°W -0.007 slope value
30.33660°N 95.10410°W -0.007 slope value
39.13907°N 97.83696°W -0.007 slope value
44.09284°N 72.33565°W -0.007 slope value
43.03328°N 92.50354°W -0.007 slope value
34.53864°N 111.69404°W -0.007 slope value
35.66750°N 83.07361°W -0.007 slope value
36.25548°N 94.43394°W -0.007 slope value
33.81288°N 98.08504°W -0.007 slope value
40.01405°N 121.94832°W -0.007 slope value
37.07931°N 78.76362°W -0.007 slope value
35.14333°N 82.82472°W -0.006 slope value
39.42822°N 123.73779°W -0.006 slope value
37.71687°N 119.66628°W -0.006 slope value
30.64352°N 99.09588°W -0.006 slope value
37.19856°N 119.21373°W -0.006 slope value
36.56819°N 79.98727°W -0.006 slope value
45.11188°N 110.79438°W -0.006 slope value
37.67220°N 113.03467°W -0.006 slope value
35.83151°N 82.18429°W -0.006 slope value
28.95998°N 96.68637°W -0.006 slope value
30.69875°N 92.89319°W -0.006 slope value
38.15853°N 91.10846°W -0.006 slope value
46.08639°N 115.97667°W -0.006 slope value
31.02768°N 86.70996°W -0.006 slope value
44.82191°N 90.07958°W -0.006 slope value
44.20828°N 109.55489°W -0.006 slope value
37.12681°N 78.95974°W -0.006 slope value
20.88568°N 156.25274°W -0.006 slope value
44.02774°N 107.08090°W -0.006 slope value
36.43947°N 105.50362°W -0.006 slope value
45.44913°N 89.97931°W -0.006 slope value
36.57097°N 80.12949°W -0.006 slope value
38.32513°N 78.09556°W -0.006 slope value
41.92700°N 80.60397°W -0.006 slope value
32.77792°N 94.35742°W -0.006 slope value
31.70694°N 89.40694°W -0.006 slope value
36.65178°N 81.84401°W -0.006 slope value
33.97420°N 112.09905°W -0.006 slope value
36.39333°N 81.40694°W -0.006 slope value
30.73611°N 88.78111°W -0.006 slope value
33.09985°N 83.72351°W -0.006 slope value
47.22854°N 88.38539°W -0.006 slope value
36.71681°N 77.83166°W -0.006 slope value
31.57349°N 86.25162°W -0.006 slope value
37.68265°N 93.37033°W -0.005 slope value
29.47273°N 100.23646°W -0.005 slope value
37.47750°N 107.54367°W -0.005 slope value
37.17320°N 79.52031°W -0.005 slope value
46.09167°N 101.33374°W -0.005 slope value
31.41850°N 86.98664°W -0.005 slope value
39.76026°N 105.90640°W -0.005 slope value
32.73290°N 99.14063°W -0.005 slope value
37.31549°N 121.12521°W -0.005 slope value
64.90237°N 146.35937°W -0.005 slope value
37.41542°N 78.63584°W -0.005 slope value
30.06410°N 99.38699°W -0.005 slope value
36.76039°N 81.63123°W -0.005 slope value
35.99535°N 92.21265°W -0.005 slope value
35.29880°N 92.40393°W -0.005 slope value
35.77725°N 105.65807°W -0.005 slope value
39.59637°N 106.26503°W -0.005 slope value
37.48660°N 121.20910°W -0.005 slope value
41.11126°N 122.70558°W -0.005 slope value
37.70821°N 96.22360°W -0.005 slope value
41.37763°N 123.47756°W -0.004 slope value
33.63114°N 116.39223°W -0.004 slope value
29.42857°N 99.99729°W -0.004 slope value
34.16087°N 111.69292°W -0.004 slope value
47.78724°N 102.76853°W -0.004 slope value
36.50836°N 105.53084°W -0.004 slope value
38.64369°N 83.21574°W -0.004 slope value
46.84047°N 115.62070°W -0.004 slope value
29.97938°N 97.91001°W -0.004 slope value
34.62425°N 86.30637°W -0.004 slope value
39.64582°N 106.38225°W -0.004 slope value
40.49633°N 112.57440°W -0.004 slope value
41.58525°N 106.22279°W -0.004 slope value
48.82292°N 120.14592°W -0.004 slope value
39.59443°N 105.97252°W -0.004 slope value
33.37596°N 92.77711°W -0.004 slope value
46.47833°N 116.25750°W -0.004 slope value
37.33943°N 112.60438°W -0.004 slope value
39.62582°N 106.27808°W -0.004 slope value
44.54012°N 122.43592°W -0.004 slope value
36.24580°N 121.77329°W -0.004 slope value
36.23917°N 81.82222°W -0.004 slope value
36.18333°N 77.87611°W -0.004 slope value
31.53629°N 92.40847°W -0.004 slope value
39.81799°N 91.51770°W -0.004 slope value
37.80290°N 80.04700°W -0.003 slope value
45.61987°N 117.72659°W -0.003 slope value
46.97762°N 121.16870°W -0.003 slope value
30.61602°N 90.24870°W -0.003 slope value
35.06417°N 77.46139°W -0.003 slope value
36.00056°N 80.74556°W -0.003 slope value
41.47368°N 77.23081°W -0.003 slope value
44.39179°N 122.49758°W -0.003 slope value
41.57534°N 78.69225°W -0.003 slope value
39.81254°N 86.95390°W -0.003 slope value
37.67316°N 82.28014°W -0.003 slope value
41.63117°N 78.57669°W -0.003 slope value
40.21258°N 77.92528°W -0.003 slope value
38.63706°N 78.85280°W -0.003 slope value
45.45262°N 121.89147°W -0.003 slope value
39.06265°N 96.15025°W -0.003 slope value
42.73999°N 91.26180°W -0.002 slope value
33.32927°N 99.46508°W -0.002 slope value
35.15000°N 83.37972°W -0.002 slope value
42.70342°N 72.67065°W -0.002 slope value
37.72901°N 80.04228°W -0.002 slope value
48.26149°N 122.04764°W -0.002 slope value
39.17221°N 106.38919°W -0.002 slope value
36.64735°N 80.97897°W -0.002 slope value
34.35452°N 99.74037°W -0.002 slope value
35.65199°N 105.31890°W -0.002 slope value
37.86261°N 98.01385°W -0.002 slope value
39.94778°N 96.10861°W -0.002 slope value
42.63842°N 72.72509°W -0.002 slope value
40.36285°N 81.86236°W -0.002 slope value
61.70974°N 149.23194°W -0.002 slope value
36.62200°N 90.84762°W -0.002 slope value
42.80086°N 83.09021°W -0.002 slope value
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Figure 6

Key Points

  • Floods have generally become larger in rivers and streams across large parts of the Northeast and Midwest. Flood magnitude has generally decreased in the West, southern Appalachia, and northern Michigan (see Figure 1).
  • Large floods have become more frequent across the Northeast, Pacific Northwest, and northern Great Plains. Flood frequency has decreased in some other parts of the country, especially the Southwest and the Rockies (see Figure 2).
  • Increases and decreases in frequency and magnitude of river flood events generally coincide with increases and decreases in the frequency of heavy rainfall events.2,3

Background

Rivers and streams experience flooding as a natural result of large rain storms or spring snowmelt that quickly drains into streams and rivers. Although the risk for flooding varies across the United States, most areas are susceptible to floods, even in dry and mountainous regions. The size, or magnitude, of flood events is influenced by how much water enters the waterway upstream—and how quickly. Flood frequency largely depends on the frequency of weather events.

Large flood events can damage homes, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure; wipe out farmers’ crops; and harm or displace people. Although regular flooding helps to maintain the nutrient balance of soils in the flood plain, larger or more frequent floods could disrupt ecosystems by displacing aquatic life, impairing water quality, and increasing soil erosion. By inundating water treatment systems with sediment and contaminants, and promoting the growth of harmful microbes, floods can directly affect the water supplies that communities depend on.

Climate change may cause river floods to become larger or more frequent than they used to be in some places, yet become smaller and less frequent in other places. As warmer temperatures cause more water to evaporate from the land and oceans, changes in the size and frequency of heavy precipitation events may in turn affect the size and frequency of river flooding (see the Heavy Precipitation indicator).1 Changes in streamflow, the timing of snowmelt (see the Streamflow indicator), and the amount of snowpack that accumulates in the winter (see the Snowpack indicator) can also affect flood patterns.

About the Indicator

The U.S. Geological Survey maintains thousands of stream gauges across the United States. Each gauge measures water level and discharge—the amount of water flowing past the gauge. This indicator uses total daily discharge data from about 500 long-term stream gauge stations where trends are not substantially influenced by dams, reservoir management, wastewater treatment facilities, or land-use change.

One way to determine whether the magnitude of flooding has changed is by studying the largest flood event from each year. This indicator examines the maximum discharge from every year at every station to identify whether peak flows have generally increased or decreased. This indicator also analyzes whether large flood events have become more or less frequent over time, based on daily discharge records.

This indicator starts in 1965 because flood data have been available for a large number of sites to support a national-level analysis since then.

Indicator Notes

This indicator is based on U.S. stream gauges that have recorded data consistently since 1965. Besides climate change, many other types of human influences could affect the frequency and magnitude of floods—for example, dams, floodwater management activities, agricultural practices, and changes in land use. To remove these influences, this indicator focuses on a set of sites that are not heavily influenced by human activities, in watersheds that do not have a large proportion of impervious surfaces such as concrete and asphalt. Increased flooding does not necessarily result in an increased risk to people or property if an area has protective infrastructure, such as levees or floodwalls.

Data Sources

Daily stream gauge data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey. These data came from a set of gauges in watersheds with minimal human impacts, which have been classified as reference gauges.6 Daily discharge data are stored in the National Water Information System and are publicly available at: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis.

Technical Documentation

References

  1. Mallakpour, I., G. Villarini. 2015. The changing nature of flooding across the central United States. Nature Climate Change 5:250–254.
  2. Mallakpour, I., G. Villarini. 2015. The changing nature of flooding across the central United States. Nature Climate Change 5:250–254.
  3. USGCRP (U.S. Global Change Research Program). 2017. Climate science special report: Fourth National Climate Assessment, volume I. Wuebbles, D.J., D.W. Fahey, K.A. Hibbard, D.J. Dokken, B.C. Stewart, and T.K. Maycock, eds. https://science2017.globalchange.gov. doi:10.7930/J0J964J6.
  4. Slater, L., and G. Villarini. 2016 update and expansion to data originally published in: Mallakpour, I., G. Villarini. 2015. The changing nature of flooding across the central United States. Nature Climate Change 5:250–254.
  5. Slater, L., and G. Villarini. 2016 update and expansion to data originally published in: Mallakpour, I., G. Villarini. 2015. The changing nature of flooding across the central United States. Nature Climate Change 5:250–254.
  6. Lins, H.F. 2012. USGS Hydro-Climatic Data Network 2009 (HCDN-2009). U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2012-3047.

Text on this page is EPA’s own published wording (a U.S. Government work, not subject to domestic copyright), extracted from EPA’s published indicator page by the build-indicator skill. Data, chart code, and the full extraction pipeline are maintained in the river-flooding repository, which this page reads its data from directly.

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