Question by purpleangel ♥☮♥: What is the most effective and sustainable flood prevention method?
Which is the most environmentally, economically and socially sustainable, and effective, method out of:
Eco-drives (driveways made of gravel or special grass mtting stuff, so that the rain doesn’t just slide off of it)
Flood zoning (controlling where certain types of facilities and buildings are allowed to be built e.g. no hospitals are allowed to build on a flood plain)
Water butts (tubs under household drainpipes to collect water)
Reservoirs/dams (dam built on the river, with area behind it allowed to flood into a huge reservoir – lake – in order to prevent flooding downstream)
Concrete river banks (not sure if this is the same as an artificial levee? but the river channel is widened and heightened and lined with concrete, to stop it overflowing)
Afforestation (forests planted to intercept the rainwater on it’s journey to the river)
Sorry I know it’s a long question but I really appreciate any answers! Thanks 
Best answer:
Answer by Whassup
Personally, I’d choose afforestation / eco-drives – anything to do with nature really. ‘Cause, dams etc. (AKA hard engineering methods) often cause EVEN MORE flooding in the long term.
1. Environmentally sustainable: it contributes to building the habitat and providing a home for the animals and plants.
Unlike the man-made methods you described earlier (concrete, reservoirs…) intercepting water through forests does not cause unnatural sediment to be washed into the stream – which could result in localised flooding. With concrete additions, unnatural sediments might be washed into the river and raise the river bed – and boom! you get a flood.
…plus! Dams can be a source of environmental pollution and can actually cause MORE flooding. Google “problems Three Gorges Dam China” for more info on that if you really want an impressive answer to back up your stance.
2. Economically – much cheaper that putting in a dam, for sure. Dams are super expensive projects. Plus, it makes more economical sense to use natural methods like planting forests – ’cause you can use the forest areas for recreation (tourism, hiking…)
3. Social – I guess here comes a problem. Afforestation requires land to be retained, and that might pose a problem with a rapidly expanding population which needs land to be freed up to build houses, etc.
Flood zoning involves planning, and it might be difficult to implement.
Give your answer to this question below!
Tags:Effective, Flood, Method, most, prevention, Sustainable
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