When dams or levees fail, the consequences can be catastrophic, making proper funding and maintenance critical. The problem? It doesn't always happen.

"They are not what I would call politically sexy," said Eric Halpin, a dam and levee consultant with 45 years of experience. "It's not like a road or bridge that people drive on every day."

Inundation maps, which show flood risks if a dam fails, are often difficult to access due to post-9/11 security policies. Halpin says advances in technology have overcome the ability to protect that information.

"A first-year engineering student can produce an inundation map in a matter of minutes," Halpin said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun adding these maps to its National Inventory of Dams , but only a limited number are available. I

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