ABSTRACT
Mainstream flood hazard research in the US, embodied by the work of the geographer Gilbert White and his colleagues, commenced with a series of policy oriented documents. Initially these papers promoted the idea that structural flood protection works were not the only way to tackle flood problems (White, 1945). Later they presented evidence that such works had actually helped to increase flood damages and escalated the possibility of catastrophic losses (White et al, 1958; White, 1961). From the 1960s onwards many of White’s concepts were incorporated into US federal and state government policy documents such as A Unified National Program for Managing Flood Losses (US Congress, 1966). US reseachers have continued to play important roles in policy development and implementation. In addition much North American flood hazard research has focussed on theoretical issues and the economic and physical aspects of the hazard.
