Until the Federal Flood Control Act of 1936, very little activity was directed toward minimizing floods and reducing flood damage in the United States. Flooding in certain areas was considered something that must be endured like the weather. Most of the effort expended to reduce damage was by small groups and individuals and had very little effect. Since 1936, the Federal Government has spent large sums of money annually to control and minimize the effect of floods, yet flood damage continues to rise.