Most people know that levees are built near rivers and lakes to reduce flooding risk, but what does it mean to live behind one? Are your home and loved ones safe from floods? How much protection does the levee really provide? What do you need to know to be safe? ASCE’s new public education booklet, So, You Live Behind a Levee!, was created to answer those questions and more, and to help individuals and communities better protect themselves against future flood threats. Written for both the engineering and non-engineering public, it covers issues such as flood size and risk, signs of trouble, ways to reduce risk, and how to prepare for and respond to emergencies.

The publication features information on what to do during a flood watch or flood warning, safety concerns, and revolves largely around the following four facts about levees:

• Flooding will happen.
• Risks associated with flooding vary.
• No levee is flood-proof.
• Actions taken now will save lives and property.
  

To download the publication for free, visit http://www.asce.org/files/pdf/SoYouLiveBehindLevee.pdf.