Which of the following statements about the fifty-year flood is true?
A) The fifty-year flood has a 50% chance of happening in a given year.
B) The fifty-year flood has a one-in-fifty chance of happening in any given year.
C) Once a fifty-year flood occurs, the region is safe for 49 years from another fifty-year flood.
D) The fifty-year flood occurs once every fifty years.
E) The fifty-year flood cannot happen twice in the same year.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The term "fifty-year flood" refers to a flood event that has a 2% (1 in 50) chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. It does not mean that it happens once every fifty years or that an area is safe for any period after such a flood occurs.

Which of the Following Statements About the Fifty-Year Flood Is