After a small town in Maryland experienced what was considered a “1,000-year flood” twice within about two years, city officials had to consider how development is exacerbating the effects of climate change. As CNBC explains in the video below, “a combination of climate change and too much real estate development has turned water from an asset to a liability.”
Having developed around its rivers, Ellicott City must now adapt to the changing climate that is increasing potential flooding and the feverish development that is preventing overflow from draining naturally. Take a look at the trials facing this small city, which may be a preview of more widespread problems in the decades to come.