In my last post, I wrote from the Noordwaard, a former farming polder (or protected basin) on the edge of De Biesbosch National Park, where the Dutch lowered a dike on purpose so the river can spill into the polder at high water. That was the Dutch trying something
I’m writing this from the Netherlands. Today I spent the day at the Noordwaard, a former farming polder (or protected basin) on the edge of De Biesbosch National Park. I traveled here with NAFSMA (the National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies) as part of a mission to learn
On September 21, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a statewide state of emergency in anticipation of a developing El Niño event that NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center projects has a greater than 90% chance of reaching “very strong” intensity this fall and winter, with a 69% chance of surpassing every El
In case you haven’t heard, the National Weather Service is predicting, with high certainty, a very strong El Niño this year. A strong El Niño has already formed with a 90% chance of it strengthening to very strong and a 60% chance of it developing into the strongest since 1950.
I was recently asked to speak at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the National Waterways Conference, a national trade group advocating in the areas of navigation, flood control, and water supply. Specifically, I was asked to speak on the effects of the 2023 Federal Court of Appeals decision in Ideker
On July 28, 2025, the Director of Civil Works for the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Eddie Belk, issued guidance for analyzing induced flooding. This guidance is intended to help USACE Districts and Divisions in managing an analysis of induced flooding in planning studies (and those projects under
Members of the Rangers led the First Continental Army during America’s Revolutionary War, and their “No man left behind” motto became a central fixture of U.S. military protocol. The slogan communicated the need to make sure that EVERYONE was taken care of. But do we have the same policy when it comes
The State of Hawaii has not shown up on this blog before, but last week’s dam breach and evacuations have earned it a coveted spot.
On March 8, the Kaupakalua Dam in Maui overtopped, prompting evacuation orders downstream. The 138-year-old earthen dam overtopped during heavy rains and is scheduled to
Imagine how early you could retire if you had a dollar for every time someone told you to “think outside the box.” Personally, I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard this charge in my educational and professional life. But what if I told you that the real money
Most of our past Blog posts have been focused on current events, analysis of new trends, and breaking news. Today, we are sharing some news that is eight months old but that offers a potential and promising path for getting things done. Some of you may already know of a