The common practice of building dams to prevent flooding can actually contribute to more intense coastal flood events, according to a new study.
The common practice of building dams to prevent flooding can actually contribute to more intense coastal flood events, according to a new study.
The study, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, studied the effects of dams built in coastal estuaries, where rivers and ocean tides interact. Those massive infrastructure projects are surging in popularity globally, in part to help offset intensifying storms, salt intrusion and sea-level rise fueled by climate change.
By analyzing data and measurements from Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, dating back more than a century, researchers determined that coastal dams don’t necessarily mitigate flooding. Dams can either increase or decrease flood risks, depending on the duration of a surge event and friction from the flow of water.
“We usually think about storm surges becoming smaller as you go inland, but the shape of the basin can actually cause it to become larger,” said lead author Steven Dykstra, an assistant professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
Read more at University of Alaska Fairbanks
Image: The Pinopolis Lock is part of the flood control infrastructure built near Charleston, South Carolina. (Credit: Courtesy of Santee Cooper)
