Advancing terrain data for better flood risk insight

High-quality terrain data underpins every credible flood model. But not all elevation datasets are created equal. As flood risk analysis becomes more demanding, advances in accuracy, consistency and global coverage are redefining what’s possible.

In partnership with the National Association of Flood & Stormwater Management Agencies (NAFSMA), this session will introduce FathomDEM+, Fathom’s next-generation global terrain dataset. By combining advanced machine learning with one of the world’s largest curated LiDAR datasets, FathomDEM+ delivers a near-LiDAR-quality, bias-corrected representation of terrain, bridging the gap between high-accuracy local data and traditional global models.

This technical session will explore the dataset’s underlying data sources, US coverage, methodology and independent validation, including recent improvements in both absolute and relative terrain precision.

Beyond the technical detail, we’ll focus on what this means in practice. We will explore how improved terrain data translates into more accurate flood extent mapping, better depth estimates and more reliable risk assessments. We’ll also highlight key use cases, showing how these advances can support more efficient project delivery and better outcomes across real-world applications.

Finally, we’ll consider how datasets like FathomDEM+ can complement public flood mapping programs, helping to address gaps where regulatory data may be limited, inconsistent or outdated.

Join us to discover how advances in terrain data are enabling more confident, efficient and actionable flood risk decisions across sectors.