In addition to the better-known effects of ever increasing urbanization, in some areas of the country the proliferation of concrete and skyscrapers has also made the regions more susceptible to natural disasters. When coastal wetlands are filled in and replaced it leaves fewer areas capable of absorbing the massive amounts of rain that come with extreme weather events such as hurricanes, according to Dr. Franco Montalto, a professor in Drexel University’s College of Engineering.
And that rain has to go somewhere. The result is that the buildings that replaced the wetlands usually suffer the most — flooding, property damage, overtaxing of water treatment facilities — while those still protected by the natural buffers fare far better.
Hurricane Sandy illustrated this fact clearly. Since the 1900s, more than 75 percent of the wetlands in New York City and New Jersey have been replaced.
Montalto said cities engaged in “green infrastructure†efforts should be sure to include tactics to manage storm water. Regions must also think of new, improved ways to reinforce and maintain their ecosystems.
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