Breaking the Cycle of Rebuilding After Floods—Stories from Missouri and Virginia

Breaking the Cycle of Rebuilding After Floods—Stories from Missouri and Virginia. | View online

Breaking the Cycle of Rebuilding After Floods—Stories from Missouri and Virginia. Watch The Videos»

Dear JoAnn,

As we’ve seen with recent floods in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia, wherever it rains, it can flood. Our research shows that over the past decade eight of the 10 states that experienced the most flood-related disaster declarations were inland.

Across the country, such communities are grappling with the question of how best to prepare for the next flood event. And many are beginning to look to less traditional forms of flood mitigation—nature-based solutions.

For an inland state like Missouri, the issue of recurrent, devastating riverine flooding is all too familiar. In fact, between 2000 and 2017, 24 flood-related Presidential disaster declarations happened in the state.

Over 900 miles away in coastal Norfolk, Virginia, residents and community leaders are struggling to adapt to flooding that stems from rising sea waters. While the two states and their communities reside hundreds of miles from each other, they are both looking at innovative solutions and the role that nature can play to mitigate flooding.

Watch these stories, documented by This American Land, of communities along the Meramec River and communities in Hampton Roads detailing how local leaders, neighbors, conservationists, and government officials are adopting nature-based solutions to adapt to rising seas and to break the costly cycle of flooding and rebuilding.

Thank you,