Study Highlights Economic Impact of Wetland Loss on Flood Mitigation
• A new study published in Nature Water reveals the significant role wetlands play in reducing flood damages and the economic costs of their loss.
• Researchers found that wetland loss across the U.S.
• has increased residential flood insurance claim payments by an estimated $10.1 billion since 1985, accounting for 9% of insured riverine flood losses.
Why It's Important?
The loss of wetlands has far-reaching consequences, including increased flood damages and higher costs for residential properties. The study estimates that wetlands provide $177 billion in flood mitigation benefits to residential properties alone. Communities downstream of wetland loss face heightened flood risks, with lower-income and minority populations bearing a disproportionate share of the burden. The findings also raise concerns about the potential impact of reduced federal protections for wetlands, which could exacerbate these issues and lead to even greater economic and environmental costs.
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