There are over 100,000 miles of levees located throughout the United States, protecting tens of millions of people. However, the general public and insurance industry have a lack of understanding about levees and the risks they pose. Key questions that need answers include: who built the levee systems, where are they located, what do they protect, and what level of performance can be expected from them. Most levee systems in the U.S. are only considered to be in a "minimally acceptable" condition and may not provide the intended 100-year level of flood protection. The insurance industry specifically lacks understanding of the location of levee systems, what they protect, and what performance can be expected, which critically