Background articles on Science, Society & the Understanding of Floods:

• Baker, V. R. (1994). Geomorphological understanding of floods.  Geomorphology, 10(1), 139-156.

• Baker, Victor R. (1998) HYDROLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING AND SOCIETAL ACTION1. 819-825.

• Baker, V. R. (2007). Flood hazard science, policy, and values: A pragmatist stance. Technology in Society, 29(2), 161-168.

Background article explaining the origins of the 100 -year flood manual:

• Benson, M. 1968 Uniform flood-frequency estimating methods for federal agencies, WRR v 4, p 891-908 

Two engaging critical essays about FFA:

• Klemes, V. 1987, Hydrological and Engineering relevance of flood frequency analysis in Hydrologic Frequency Modeling, V.P. Singh (ed), D. Reidel Pub. Co.

• Klemes, V. 1989, The improbable probabilities of extreme floods and droughts  in Hydrology of Disasters, O. Starosolszky and O.A. Melder, (eds). WMO

Two additional essays about "dilettantism":

• Klemes, V. 1986, Dilettantism in Hydrology: Transition or Destiny? WRR v 22, p 177S-188S

• Hirschboeck, KK, A room with a view: some geographic perspectives on dilettantism, cross-training, and scale in hydrology:  Annals, AAG v 89, p 696-706

A more recent review article:

• Kidson, R and Richards, K.S. 2005, Flood frequency analysis: assumptions and alternatives, Progress in Physical Geography 29, 3, p 392-410.

Lastly, a provocative article on what's wrong with our understanding of the nation's flood problems:

• Pielke, Jr.,  R.A, 1999, Nine Fallacies of floods , Climatic Change 42, 413-438