Flooding
Brazil Approves Controversial Dam
The Brazilian government has approved a new hydroelectric dam in the Amazon. Many locals and environmentalists are fuming.
Residents Upset About New FEMA Flood Maps
Flood maps redrawn by the Federal Emergency Management Agency are causing thousands of Southern California residents to buy mandatory flood insurance, even though they say flooding is rare and barely an issue.
New Techniques for Preventing Levee Breaches
Breached levees are a major concern for riverside cities; New Orleans struggled with their disastrous results after Hurricane Katrina. While shoring and sandbagging have been relied upon in the past, new methods for stopping breaches are emerging.
Judge Rules Army Corps Responsible for New Orleans Flooding
A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' mismanaged maintenance of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet was the cause of flood damage in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Floating Houses for Flood-Prone Areas
As the city of New Orleans rebuilds its flooded and destroyed neighborhoods, a new design from architect Thom Mayne seeks to counteract the flood-prone area by simply floating.
Proposed Port Threatens Flood-Prone Venice
Plans to construct a new cargo port near Venice has some conservationists up in arms. They say the plans would exacerbate rising water levels and further endanger the flood-prone ancient city.
A Biological Approach to City Building
Architecture and biomimicry are joining forces. A new city being planned in a flood-prone region of India is using the concept of mimicking nature to build a city that better responds to its environmental conditions.
Prepare Now for Altered Coastlines
A disturbing new report on sea-level rise projections for California warns that the state must start planning now for the anticipated flooding of its coastline, which could wipe out over $100 billion worth of built infrastructure.
Dutch Try to Step Up Flood Protection
This article from Wired looks at new plans to prevent massive flooding in the low-lying Netherlands.
FEMA Redraws Flood Maps
FEMA has redone official maps of flood-prone areas across the country, designating some as flood zones for the first time.
How Development Makes Flooding Worse
This article from The Christian Science Monitor looks at how development, farm practices, and population growth have increased the risk of flooding.
Levees in Danger as Midwest Flooding Continues
Flood waters along the Mississippi River continue to rise, leaving many Midwest towns deep under water. The Army Corps of Engineers has just identified 27 levees that may not be high enough to handle the rising waters.
FEMA Sat On $85 Million in Katrina Relief
Housing groups in Katrina-affected regions are expressing their outrage after a CNN investigation uncovered that tons of supplies intended for hurricane victims sat in storage for two years before being given away to cities and other organizations.
Support Wanes for Turkey's Controversial Dam
A massive dam project in Turkey that would flood historic areas and displace 50,000 people is losing international support, as officials in Germany threaten to pull out of the project -- often called a smaller version of China's Three Gorges Dam.
Building in the Danger Zone
This article from Next American City looks at the new land use ideas that are guiding development in disaster-prone areas.
What Will Happen After the Flood
This article from Architect Magazine wonders what coastal cities will look like after the sea level rises.
Venice Plans For Sea Level Rise
Operation "Rialto" will lift some Venice buildings up to 3.3 feet in an effort to avoid the negative implications of sea level rise.
Can the Corps Do Enough for New Orleans?
The vast levee system under construction by the Army Corps of Engineers may not be sufficient to protect New Orleans as the climate continues to change.
Floodplain Development Plugs On in Missouri
Flooding in the Mississippi River floodplain in Missouri caused federal officials to call for the removal of buildings and homes in the threatened area in 1993. But now, development is being allowed in the same flood-prone areas.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
