Repeated flooding in some communities pushed residents to move to higher ground. But getting the resources and buy-in isn't easy, even in towns where residents have been flooded again and again.
Repeated flooding in some communities pushed residents to move to higher ground. But getting the resources and buy-in isn't easy, even in towns where residents have been flooded again and again.
As increased rainfall and repetitive flooding strain aging infrastructure in many towns, residents along the Mississippi River ask the same question: Do we pack up and move out?
Staying put in the face of flooding can be dangerous and is growing increasingly costly. Property taxes are the largest source of tax revenue for local governments in most states, but property value declines as flood risk increases. Local governments have doubled their infrastructure spending while federal funding remains relatively flat. The federal government covers about 40% of water and transportation construction, but states are left to maintain it.