Takeaways from AP’s report on federal policies shielding information about potential dam failures

Thousands of people live downstream from dams yet may not always realize the risks.

As the climate changes, heavy rains from intense storms have put communities at greater jeopardy from flooding and placed the nation’s aging dams at greater risk of failing. That’s been evident recently as floodwaters from storms damaged or breached dams in Georgia, Minnesota, New York, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin, forcing evacuations and costly repairs.

An Associated Press review found that conflicting federal policies may be inhibiting the ability of local officials to share details with residents, businesses and other property owners about the places that get could inundated with floodwaters if a dam were to fail. That same information gap also could be costing residents more for flood insurance.

The problem has persisted for years, though federal officials have been warned of its implications.

Here are some takeaways from the AP’s report on the conflicting federal policies about potential dam failures.

Flood insurance details

The Federal Emergency Management Agency oversees a flood-insurance program available in communities that adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations. Nearly 22,700 local governments participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. As of the end of July, it provided $1.3 trillion of insurance coverage to about 4.7 million policyholders — down about 1 million policies since the program’s peak participation in 2009.

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