Many levees built in the mid-1900s do not offer enough protection for today’s storms, and small rural communities in particular struggle to afford needed upgrades.
Articles on levees
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Levees protect more than 7 million buildings in the US today, yet they got a D-plus grade in 2025. A new study found 487 cases where rising water overtopped levees in the past 15 years.
New or improved flood protection can give a false sense of security – the so-called ‘levee effect’. But climate change is unpredictable, meaning ‘residual risk’ always exists and must be planned for.
Flood risks are rising, yet communities may spend millions of dollars in federal infrastructure funding on systems that aren’t built to handle them.
Flood risks are rising as the climate warms. The risks are complex, as a levee or new roadway in one place can worsen flooding somewhere else.
At a time when storms are becoming more frequent and severe, relying on levees for flood control can create as many problems as it solves.
As Houston continues to rescue residents whose homes were ruined, it also begins to deal with issues related to contaminated floodwaters and overflowing reservoirs. It won’t be easy.
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Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University
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Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University
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Assistant Professor of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, Iowa State University
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Assistant Professor of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, Iowa State University
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Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University
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Professor of Environmental Planning, University of Waikato
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Associate Professor of History, Drake University
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Professor Emeritus of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan
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Associate Professor of Environmental Planning, University of Waikato
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Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Penn State