Geography
The Role of Coastal Wetlands in Storm Surge Attenuation
Quick fact
In a 2017 study of hurricane Sandy, coastal wetlands prevented an estimated $625 million in flood damages across the U.S. Atlantic coast—and a single square kilometer of wetland reduced storm damage by an average of 1.7%.
Why this is interesting
Imagine a giant wall of water heading toward the coast—but before it hits land, it has to pass through a maze of grasses, mangroves, and mud. Could that maze actually stop the flood?