Flood Basics

Arizona's 'orphaned' levees increase flood risks

What is a levee? Watch this levee explainer video, which may answer some of your questions about levees, the risks, and how they work. During a flood, a levee may be threatening to breach or fail creating a risk for communities who live behind the levee. This means that people may be asked to relocate to a safer area. Our friends at NSW SES have given us permission to use this video. *Please note, some vision from interstate has also been used for explanative purposes. For updates go to: sa.gov.

Watch: Levee failure prompts overnight evacuations, impacts hundreds of homes in Washington

'Worst case scenario,' Pajaro levee broken by atmospheric river surge, community flooded

The wall that defends New Orleans: What’s changed since Katrina and what still needs work