A Dec. 4 front-page headline suggested that higher dams are the answer to global warming. While it is true that we will need to adapt to handle the changing climate and its effects, the way to do this is by working with nature, not against it.
The best way to adapt to a climate with more frequent and more intense droughts and floods is to protect and restore the landscapes that provide clean water, process pollutants and absorb floodwaters. A wetland, for example, can absorb heavy rainfall and release it gradually, buffering against both floods and droughts.
As warmer temperatures wreak havoc on the weather system, it will be even more important that we adopt the most cost-effective and flexible solutions that can help communities prepare for an uncertain future. Higher dams are rarely the most cost-effective and never the most flexible solution.
