One year after catastrophic flash floods, Commissioner Ann Howard shares how the Travis County, Texas, community is rebuilding
How neighbors, nonprofits, and the county are carrying Sandy Creek’s recovery forward Sandy Creek is a rural, low- to moderate-income community in Travis County, Texas, where many residents are connected to the rest of the state by a single bridge. When central Texas was struck by severe flooding in July 2025, the floodwaters shifted and […]
To build real resilience, we must simplify the federal system
“Since Helene struck, we have had to navigate a system that is fundamentally broken,” said a North Carolina commissioner. “Reform is clearly needed. We need less paperwork and faster relief.” Over the last decade, the federal government spent $558 billion on disaster response—in the ballpark of what it spent on its share to build the […]
Five years after ‘Always Ready,’ Largo is turning policy into protection
“State programs such as Resilient Florida, the Division of Emergency Management’s Local Mitigation Strategy, and, most recently, the State Revolving Fund forgivable loan have created a framework for identifying vulnerabilities, prioritizing projects, and, most importantly, providing state and federal funding to help local governments implement solutions,” writes Mayor Woody Brown of Largo, Florida. In this […]
Embracing flood-smart agriculture to reduce flood risk throughout a watershed
Farms and agricultural land cover hundreds of millions of acres across the United States, making them one of the most powerful levers for managing flooding. When farmers adopt practices that slow runoff, increase soil infiltration, and store water, they protect their own fields while serving as critical flood infrastructure for entire watersheds. But right now, […]
More than 60 local leaders gather in Washington, D.C. to prove resilience starts local
As storms grow stronger and floods become more frequent, the impacts are hitting communities faster than many can respond. Local elected leaders are often the first to face these challenges, and the first to demand action. In May, the American Flood Coalition (AFC) was proud to welcome local elected leaders from across the country to […]
Mayor Brian West Turns a Land-Use Pivot Into a Coastal Asset in Tybee Island, Georgia
How the site of a failed well project became a community park and the start of something bigger Tybee Island is a low-lying barrier island of around 3,000 residents just off the coast of Savannah, Georgia. Like other barrier islands, Tybee Island is highly vulnerable to coastal erosion, flooding, and sea level rise. For a […]
From the Field to the City: How Farming Practices Upstream Can Protect Communities Downstream
What does a field of relay intercropped rye and soybeans near Coggon, Iowa, have to do with a neighborhood in Cedar Rapids? As it turns out, a lot. AFC co-hosted a relay intercropping field day near Coggon alongside Iowa Learning Farms and Northeast Iowa RC&D to answer that very question. Relay intercropping is a type […]
Harnessing Nature for Transportation Resilience
From heavy rains to storm surge, flooding is an increasing threat to our nation’s roads, bridges, and surface transportation networks. More than 60,000 miles of U.S. roads and bridges are located in coastal floodplains, where higher seas and stronger storms threaten these critical lifelines. Inland, heavy downpours wash out pavement and erode bridge foundations, stranding […]
After Helene: When the math don’t math
When the math don’t math Dennis Aldridge serves Avery County, North Carolina — a mountain community devastated by Hurricane Helene in 2024. More than eighteen months later, he is still confronting a $57 million recovery bill on a $42 million annual budget. Through the American Flood Coalition’s WNC Recovery & Resilience Partnership, Avery County is […]
Mayor Paul Shewmaker Builds Flood Resilience in Simpsonville South Carolina
How Stronger Standards, a Dedicated Fund, and Smart Partnerships Are Reducing Flood Risk in the Upstate When Mayor Paul Shewmaker took office, Simpsonville, South Carolina, had roughly 23,000 residents; today it is approaching 30,000. While that growth brings opportunity, it also brings risk. Simpsonville’s risk profile is classic for inland South Carolina: no major river, […]