Residential Flood Risk and Knowledge Assessment in the Tucson Metropolitan Area

Abstract

This research explores the challenges of reducing arid land flood risk among a diverse and growing community, plus reveals how population demographics can play a role in determining vulnerability to flooding. Communities make an effort to become more resilient when natural disasters occur. Ideally, these efforts will lessen the physical and economic impacts during and after subsequent events. For the Tucson Metropolitan Area (TMA), a major push to build resilience was initiated after a 1983 flood event. Those efforts proved successful, reducing damage and recovery time when other major floods hit the area. However, homes remain in high risk flood areas and data show Hispanic homeowners may be the most vulnerable to flooding in the TMA. But, data also indicate all homeowners, no matter their race or cultural heritage, in high risk areas may be able to better afford flood insurance, which is a policy supplemental to home insurance. Plus, survey results show homeowners may be more likely to accept personal responsibility for the financial impacts of floods as compared to an earlier study also completed in the TMA. Tailored education efforts addressing why a homeowner would choose or not choose a flood insurance policy could increase the number of policies in force, which potentially builds personal resilience, while also strengthening the community’s ability to withstand the impacts of the next big event.