As long as we keep enlarging our homes, building roads the same way for centuries, flooding will continue to worsen. Stormwater must be controlled by keeping as much water where it falls. This can be achieved by keeping gardens well-mulched (preferably with your own tree’s leaves), using permeable hard surfaces wherever possible (bricks and gravel instead of asphalt), capturing roof runoff into rain barrels to water plants and creating rain gardens on every property: drainage ditches that double as flower gardens. It takes a village to make a difference, though.

Our municipalities should stop using high curbs and start installing roadside drainage. And give tax incentives for capturing stormwater.