Principle 7: The state's people need to be informed about flood hazards and mitigation options.
An effective state provides the appropriate authority and encourages use of informational tools for flood hazards. Better informed citizens, property owners, private sector entities, public officials, and government agencies are more likely to make sound decisions about whether and how to develop and redevelop property, and how to make sound land and home purchases.
Although many tools to inform the public are best applied at the local level, states have a number of roles, especially to actively support local public information efforts, whether they be training workshops, printed materials, newsletters, media coverage, or websites. Some tools for informing the public are most effective if required by state statute or regulation, such as disclosure during property transactions, recording flood history on property deeds, and continuing education for professionals.
Note: The table and figure numbers found below follow the order of those in the full 2025 FPM Assessment report [.pdf] and may not be sequential. Tables can be sorted by clicking on column headings. If tables and/or charts do not load, try refreshing the page.
Principle 7 Highlights
Questions 158-163. Outreach activities on flooding or floodplain management
- The most common outreach activities reported by responding states are maintaining a dedicated floodplain management website (100%) and working with legislatures or other governing bodies (83%), followed by using social media platforms (69%) and issuing newsletters (64%) (Question 158, Table P7.1).
- The average number of newsletter subscribers for state floodplain management programs increased from 900 in 2017 to 2,100 in 2025, with some states reaching over 10,000 constituents (Question 159).
- Mapping and data portals, including interactive flood maps and hazard assessment tools, are reported as the most popular features on state floodplain management websites (Question 163).
Table P7.1. Results for Question 158 – Does your state floodplain management program conduct the following outreach activities for public awareness of flooding or floodplain management?
Questions 169-171. Real estate disclosure requirements
- When asked if their state requires flood hazard disclosures for real estate transactions, 65% of respondents reported that flood hazard disclosures are required, compared to 2017, when only 44% of states had disclosure requirements (Question 169, Figure P7.3).
- A follow-up question asked how the flood hazard to be disclosed is determined (Question 170, Table P7.3). Most respondents (58%) said that their disclosure laws rely only on the seller’s knowledge, while 42% said their laws require both the seller’s knowledge and consultation of available flood studies and maps.
Figure P7.3. 2017 and 2025 results for Question 169 – Does your state require flood hazard disclosures for real estate transactions?
- Question 171 asked states to provide any additional comments about their real estate flood hazard disclosure policies, challenges, or recent changes (see all Verbatim Responses, Table P7.4). Several provided more details, including in some cases how those requirements were developed or implemented. Other states highlighted limitations of current disclosure laws, including:
- Reliance on seller knowledge rather than comprehensive data
- Lack of requirements to disclose prior flood claims or disaster assistance
- Buyers are often expected to research risks themselves
- Lack of requirements for realtors to undergo training on the topic
Table P7.4. Results for Question 171 – Please share any additional comments related to real estate disclosure and flooding.
Continue to Principle 8 Highlights
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