Available on-demand
Fathom at Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) 2025
18 – 22 May, 2025
From May 18 – 22, Fathom’s team of flood experts returned to the annual ASFPM conference to join floodplain managers, disaster mitigation experts and engineering consultancies from across the US to explore the varying challenges faced by the industry.
The conference program featured more than 200 presentations, with topics ranging across flood mapping and modeling, mitigation and adaptation, extreme weather trends, risk communication, NFIP and much more. As a sponsor and ASFPM corporate partner, Fathom were proud to support the conference by presenting the following sessions;
- A flood forecasting framework for rapid flood mapping of extreme flood events
- Science-informed public policy in Canada: Leveraging continental-scale flood modeling
- The latest innovations and developments in statewide flood mapping: Developing Virginia’s Flood Protection Master Plan
- Flood risk, fast-tracked: Innovative statewide flood risk modeling for adaptation and resilience
A flood forecasting framework for rapid flood mapping of extreme flood events
Flooding in the US causes billions in damage annually, with hurricanes being a key driver. While peak-water-level forecasts exist, flood hazard mapping is limited, especially in representing uncertainty. Such data is crucial for emergency responders, planners, insurers, businesses and the public.
This session presents a framework that rapidly generates inland and coastal flood footprints using data from the National Water Model and Surge Tide Operational Forecasting System. It allows visualization of potential building and population exposure. The framework is validated using Hurricane Helene (2024) and has proven useful for assessing cyclone impacts in less-developed regions.
Presenter: Dr James Savage, Fathom
Presented at: ASFPM 2025 on Tuesday, 20 May, 15.45–17.15 (Session C1)
Science-informed public policy in Canada: Leveraging continental-scale flood modeling
Public Safety Canada, like the US Department of Homeland Security, works to keep Canadians safe, including managing natural disaster risks. Since 2020, its Data Science and Engineering Team has integrated science into emergency preparedness, supporting flood insurance, disaster funding and risk assessment tools.
This session highlights efforts to develop data-driven adaptation policies, including probabilistic flood hazard modeling, national risk assessments and financial exposure analysis. Fathom and Aon Impact Forecasting will discuss challenges in building Canada-wide flood maps and their real-world applications in public awareness, risk assessments and insurance. This session is valuable for those in flood risk and infrastructure planning.
Presenters:
Robin Bourke, Public Safety Canada
Andy Neal, Aon Reinsurance Solutions
Gavin Lewis, Fathom
Presented at: ASFPM 2025 on Tuesday, 20 May, 15.45–17.15 (Session C1)
The latest innovations and developments in statewide flood mapping: Developing Virginia’s Flood Protection Master Plan
Flooding poses increasing risks, requiring innovative solutions. While local flood risk mapping is common, statewide and national assessments remain inconsistent, with outdated or missing data.
This session explores how states such as Virginia, Florida and Texas are addressing these challenges through statewide flood mapping innovations. Virginia’s Flood Protection Master Plan (VFPMP), developed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (VDCR) with Arcadis and Fathom, leverages advanced modeling to enhance resilience planning. The session will detail data sources, modeling challenges and applications, providing insights for professionals in flood risk modeling, climate adaptation and infrastructure planning.
Presenters:
Carolyn Heaps-Pecaro, Virginia Dept. of Conservation and Recreation
Krista L Jankowski, Arcadis
Peter Slater, Fathom
Presented at: ASFPM 2025 on Thursday, 22 May, 14.00–15.30 (Session H1)
Flood risk, fast-tracked: Innovative statewide flood risk modeling for adaptation and resilience
Florida’s Resilient Florida Program faced the challenge of developing a statewide flood vulnerability assessment within eight months.
This session explores how Fathom, Taylor Engineering and Jones Edmunds created a fully 2D flood model covering coastal, pluvial and fluvial risks under current and future climate scenarios. Key topics include mapping consistency, data integration, rapid climate modeling and stakeholder benefits. The project overcame tight deadlines and data gaps to deliver a comprehensive assessment. Future directions include validation, asset risk insights and resilience planning.
This session is valuable for professionals in flood risk modeling, climate adaptation and infrastructure planning.
Presenters:
Michael DelCharco, Taylor Engineering
Gavin Lewis, Fathom
Presented at: ASFPM 2025 on Thursday, 22 May, 14.00–15.30 (Session H3)
