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Why Cities Built to Drain Rain Quickly Become Vulnerable to Flooding: How Pavement and Drainage Create Pluvial Flood Risk
Cities have been designed to remove rainwater as quickly as possible. But pavement and rapid drainage concentrate runoff within a shorter period, increasing pluvial flood risk. Future cities must combine drainage with storage, infiltration, and delay. -
Do Disasters Come Only from the Sky? How “Extreme Weather” Obscures Changes in the Land
Extreme weather is intensifying, but rainfall alone does not determine the scale of a disaster. Land use, urban development, river engineering, sediment loss, exposure, and social vulnerability all shape what happens after the rain reaches the ground. -
Why Have Japan’s Irrigation Ponds Become Dangerous?
Japan’s irrigation ponds have supported rice farming, wildlife, and rural communities for centuries. Today, aging infrastructure, fewer managers, and heavier rainfall are turning these familiar waterscapes into growing disaster risks.
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