Western Kentucky University

WKU Engineering's Floodplain Management Program

Total Immersion Floodplain Management heads west soon.

Nine civil engineering students, along with Dr. Campbell and Jerry Barnaby of WKU Study Away, are preparing to leave for the great Western sites of floodplain management.  Over Winter term, they will see both spectacular successes and extreme failures of flood control.  This unique field experience is an opportunity to view massive flood control works and interact with flood professionals in Arizona, Nevada, and California. 

Flash flood warning in Death Valley

For more information about this course, click here or contact Study Away.

In the U.S. 21,000 communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). By Federal law, each of these communities must designate a floodplain administrator. Trained professionals are needed for these positions, but today there are fewer than 8,000 Certified Floodplain Managers (CFMs). Of these, only about 40 % are local officials. In all there are about 9 NFIP communities for each local CFM. WKU is working to meet this urgent national need with the nation's only Floodplain Management Minor. Since its inception in 2007, 36 WKU students have passed the national certification exam for floodplain managers. Thirteen states have fewer than 36 CFMs.

 Last Modified 12/6/11