Relaxing federal wetland protections could magnify flood damage from extreme weather events.
A new study in Nature Water says wetlands prevent billions of dollars in damage by soaking up excess water when heavy storms inundate rivers and streams in residential areas. But when development intrudes into wetlands — a policy scenario the Trump administration is considering — flood damages tend to increase, the study says.
Wetland loss has increased flood insurance claims by $10 billion since the 1980s, the research says, adding that weaker protections for these natural features could make losses “orders of magnitude greater.”
Flooding near rivers is “relatively understudied” compared to coastal flooding, said Jesse Gourevitch, a co-author and former economist with the Environmental Defense Fund, in an email. The research is accompanied by a mapping tool meant to help policymakers understand how wetlands affect flood risk in their jurisdictions.
