Human activity is making the magnitude and impacts of floods more severe. Climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels is warming the oceans, putting more water vapor into the atmosphere which leads to more intense precipitation when storms occur. At the same time, we’ve paved over wetlands, prairie lands, and other natural areas for development. That has made flooding worse by eliminating nature's 'sponges' that would otherwise absorb and retain stormwater.
Dams, levies and pipes have a role to play in flood control. But preservation of open space and recharge areas, and restoration of wetlands, prairies and riparian corridors can blunt the impacts of flooding and remove people and property from harm's way while helping to bring nature back into urban areas and revitalize habitat.
Take action! Contact members of the Virginia General Assembly today and urge them to support a comprehensive suite of bills to integrate statewide flood resilience planning and implementation across the Commonwealth.
