As summer 2026 comes to a close and communities across the country begin transitioning into fall, this year’s flood events provide an important reminder: flood risk does not take the summer off.
From intense flash flooding in the Midwest to significant flooding across Texas and other parts of the country, communities experienced a wide range of flood hazards during the summer months. These events highlight the importance of understanding how rainfall, watersheds, drainage systems, rivers, floodplains, development, and mitigation measures interact.
For engineers, planners, floodplain managers, emergency managers, and other professionals working with communities, the events of Summer 2026 offer valuable real-world examples of the principles that go into effective floodplain management.
A Summer of Diverse Flood Hazards
One of the most important takeaways from Summer 2026 is that flooding can take many forms.
In June, repeated rounds of heavy rainfall produced significant flash and river flooding across portions of the central United States. In the Ohio Valley region, rainfall totals from June 25–28 reached approximately 3 to 12 inches, producing considerable to major flash flooding in communities across Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri.
Another significant rainfall event occurred across southern Illinois in July. Between July 9 and 11, portions of the region received 6 to 11 inches of rainfall, with some locations experiencing rainfall rates greater than 2.5 to 3 inches per hour.
Other areas experienced localized but extremely intense rainfall. For example, portions of Ohio received approximately 10 to 15 inches of rain within several hours during the July 5–6 severe weather event, resulting in significant flash flooding.
These events demonstrate an important concept in floodplain management:
Flood risk is not limited to areas immediately adjacent to major rivers.
Flash flooding can occur when rainfall overwhelms drainage systems, concentrates rapidly in small watersheds, or produces runoff at a rate that exceeds the capacity of channels, culverts, storm sewers, and other infrastructure.
Texas Flooding Highlights the Importance of Understanding Flood Risk
Texas again experienced significant flooding during the summer, including severe flooding across portions of South and Central Texas.
The July flooding resulted in extensive damage across affected communities. By early September, a federal major disaster declaration had been approved for portions of the affected area, including Kerr, Kendall, and Uvalde Counties, with public assistance available for emergency work and infrastructure repairs.
Events such as these demonstrate why floodplain professionals need to understand more than simply where a floodplain boundary is located.
Effective floodplain management involves understanding:
- Flood hazard areas
- Floodplain mapping
- Base flood elevations
- Floodway concepts
- Hydrology and hydraulics
- Development requirements
- Elevation and floodproofing concepts
- Substantial improvement and substantial damage
- Floodplain development permitting
- Mitigation strategies
- Disaster recovery
- Community planning
A map is an important tool, but it is only one part of the larger floodplain management picture.
Flooding Doesn’t Always Follow the Map
One of the most important lessons from major flood events is the distinction between mapped flood hazard and actual flood risk.
Flooding can occur outside mapped high-risk areas because of:
- Localized intense rainfall
- Inadequate drainage capacity
- Blocked or undersized culverts
- Development and changes in runoff
- Small drainage systems
- Backwater conditions
- Riverine flooding
- Stormwater infrastructure failures
- Changes in watershed conditions
This is particularly important for professionals involved in development review and community planning.
Understanding the underlying processes that create flooding allows professionals to ask better questions when reviewing a project, evaluating drainage improvements, or responding to a flooding complaint.
What Can We Learn From Summer 2026?
Every flood provides an opportunity to learn.
Flood events can help communities evaluate whether existing infrastructure is adequate, whether development standards are effective, whether emergency response procedures work as intended, and where additional mitigation may be appropriate.
They also reinforce the value of having professionals who understand the fundamentals of floodplain management.
The Civil Engineering Academy Ultimate Floodplain Manager Review Course was developed as a comprehensive training resource for professionals who want to strengthen their knowledge of floodplain management.
The course includes 12 self-paced modules covering key floodplain management topics, including material related to FEMA guidance, flood hazards, hazard mitigation, and other foundational concepts.
Each module includes review questions to reinforce the material, and the course concludes with a practice assessment designed to help learners evaluate their understanding of the topics covered.
The course was created by a licensed professional engineer with a water resources and stormwater management background who is also a certified floodplain management professional, bringing practical engineering experience into the training material.
A Good Time to Strengthen Your Floodplain Knowledge
As we move into fall, flood risk remains an important consideration.
Hurricane season, remnants of tropical systems, heavy rainfall events, and changing seasonal weather patterns can all create additional flood hazards. Communities also continue to face long-term challenges associated with aging infrastructure, development, changing watersheds, and the need for effective mitigation.
For professionals working in engineering, planning, stormwater, emergency management, development review, or floodplain management, fall can be a good time to step back and strengthen foundational knowledge.
The Ultimate Floodplain Manager Review Course from Civil Engineering Academy provides a structured, self-paced way to review the major concepts that professionals encounter when working with floodplain management.
Turning Flood Events Into Better Preparedness
The flooding experienced across the United States during Summer 2026 is a reminder that flood risk is complex and constantly evolving.
The goal of floodplain management is not simply to react after water rises.
It is about understanding hazards before they become disasters, incorporating flood risk into community planning and development decisions, improving mitigation strategies, and helping communities become more resilient.
As we move into fall, the lessons from this summer’s floods provide an excellent opportunity for professionals to revisit the fundamentals and continue building their knowledge.
Learn from the events. Understand the hazards. Strengthen your floodplain management knowledge.
Explore the Ultimate Floodplain Manager Review Course from Civil Engineering Academy and continue your professional development this fall.
Author: Matt Fanghella, PE, CFM
DISCLAIMER
DISCLAIMER CFM® is a registered certification mark of The Association of State Floodplain Managers, Inc. (ASFPM), which is not affiliated with or endorses CEA or its courses. Our course and materials are based solely on publicly available materials and general industry principles. We do not use or distribute any proprietary or exam content from ASFPM. References to CFM® are for descriptive purposes only.