Floods
Flooding Less of a Concern as Hurricane Memories Fade
Residents of Houston are less likely to think of flooding as a concern, or to think development should be prohibited in flood-prone areas, as in the years immediately following Hurricane Harvey.
A Surprising Place for Climate Relocation: Washington State
The city of Hamilton in Skagit County, Washington showcases another kind of community at risk from the effects of climate change and considering relocation to higher ground.
Scientists Warn Mega-Storm Could Make 'Lakes' of California Cities
If you live in California, you've heard predictions of a disastrous earthquake dubbed "the big one." Now, scientists are warning of an epic rainstorm that could cause three times as much damage.
New Master Plan Envisions Brooklyn Navy Yard as Next-Gen Manufacturing Hub
Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation's master plan for the site is a $2.5 billion bet that high-tech manufacturers can be enticed back to New York, bringing with them the economic heft to transform the whole area.
Low-Lying Alexandria Must Adjust to Rising Waters
Alexandria, Virginia's waterfront was built on landfill below the natural elevation of the Potomac River. City officials hope to build new seawalls to protect that area from floods.
Unequal Flood Protection Makes Floods Worse for Some Communities
Levees can save towns, but they can also push water downstream making floods worse, meaning that if wealthier places are protected, it’s sometimes at the expense of poor communities.
Songs About Places: Water, Rain, and Rivers
A playlist for those who seek inspiration from water—whether it's falling from the sky or running downhill.
Minnesota Offers Models for Stormwater Management
Reflecting its reputation as the land of 10,000 lakes, Minnesota's highly developed water management infrastructure can be instructive for states facing frequent floods.
Bringing Urban Rivers Back Into the Daylight
"Daylighting" rivers in urban areas is the process of uncovering waterways to beautify cities, support habitats, and aid drainage.
Long Island Developers Taking Storm Risk Seriously
Tree-huggers many of them are not, but there's consensus among Long Island developers that storm resilience is an investment worth making.
Lessons from Oroville: Resilience for Scarcity and Abundance
Swings in weather-related fortunes will continue to push to unprecedented extremes, in California, in Texas, in Boston, in Long Island, in Louisiana, and everywhere else.
Louisiana Dials Back Requirements for Elevating Homes in Flood Areas
Housing market pressures, flood insurance costs, changing FEMA maps, and improved methods of flood control are giving victims of flood damage in Louisiana mixed signals on how high they should rebuild their homes.
Developments Surrounding Houston's Distressed Dams
The Houston Chronicle continues a series of feature articles about the persistent flooding of the region. The latest installment examines the tenuous position of the Addicks and Barker dams.
Lessons from Louisiana
We should have seen the historic flooding in the Florida Parishes region of Louisiana coming—both in preparation and in response—says a pair of recent articles.
One Geologist Predicted Floods in St. Louis Months Before They Struck
Hindsight is 20-20, but so too sometimes is the foresight of geologists. That was the case prior to the flooding that struck St. Louis this December.
Poor Urban Planning at Heart of Devastation in India's Torrential Rains
The death toll from the torrential rains in Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu state, and the surrounding region has climbed to 345 as of Dec. 4. While the scope of the rains are unprecedented, poor urban planning has been linked to the devastation.
Nashville Metro Council Rejects $100 Million Downtown Flood Control Project
Opponents of the capital investment plan rejected the plan on the basis that it focused too much on the downtown area.
Floods Create Trash Collection Stink in Oakland County
Recent heavy rains in Oakland County, north of Detroit, have required the local waste authority to make temporary arrangements for sewage-soaked trash. Residents are not happy.
Friday Funny: Guy Riding Super Tall Bike Puts the 'Win' in Winter
Parts of the East Coast got hit this week by rain and floods in what must certainly be cosmic salt in the wound of a long and intense winter. Luckily for our moods, one local news broadcast caught one biker rising above the wet conditions.
NOAA Launching Storm Surge Mapping System
Americans tend to pay more attention to wind strength than storm surge when evaluating whether or not to evacuate before a hurricane. A new NOAA mapping project is designed to change perceptions about the multiple risks of storm events.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
