Recent flooding in the Midwest, particularly around Minnesota's Blue Earth River, emphasizes the urgent need to reinforce aging infrastructure against extreme weather events worsened by climate change.
The Rapidan Dam, built in 1910, nearly failed under intense rainfall, highlighting its vulnerability.
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, outpacing current infrastructure design capacities.
Experts warn that similar infrastructure nationwide is at risk, with potential cascading effects on ecosystems, economies and public health.
Key quote:
“We’re not prepared for this new climate regime. While we’re figuring it out, we’re at risk of lots more of these challenges.”
— Whitney Clark, executive director of Friends of the Mississippi River.
Why this matters:
In recent years, the drumbeat of extreme weather events—hurricanes, floods, wildfires and heatwaves—has grown louder and more insistent, a stark reminder of our planet's changing climate. This surge in natural disasters is putting unprecedented strain on infrastructure, much of which was built during a time when the climate was more predictable and less severe.
Louisiana's governor says floodwaters from the Midwest are severely hurting people who make their living from coastal seafood, so he's asking the federal government to declare a fisheries disaster for the state.
Rushing rivers have exposed once-buried pipelines before, leading to oil spills. With climate change exacerbating flood risks, Keystone XL critics see dangers ahead.
Amid a news week packed with presidential candidacy announcements and horrific mass murders, devastating flooding in many American states has barely made the news.
