Study Documents Link Between Wetland Loss, Downstream Flood Damage
6/18/2026 – A new study published in the journal “Nature Water” on June 1, 2026 shows that wetland conservation is a potentially effective but undervalued strategy in managing growing flood risk. The authors, Jesse D. Gourevitch,
Adam C. Gold & Helena M. Garcia found a statistical link between wetland loss and rising flood insurance claims since 1985.
Economic Value of Wetlands in Reducing Flood Losses
The estimated increase in flood insurance claims due to wetland loss totals $10.1 billion.
That’s equal to about 9% of insured riverine flood losses. And according to a blog post by the authors in the Environmental Defense Fund website, “The highest added costs were concentrated in the Houston metropolitan area, southeastern Louisiana, and coastal Florida.”
The authors say that because the National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP, covers only a fraction of total flood losses to homes, the full costs of wetland loss are likely even higher.
These numbers help quantify a value of land-use decisions for policy makers.
To help protect these wetlands and your home, please sign this petition on Change.org.
Other Savings Due to Wetlands
The authors caution that their study measures only one part of wetlands’ value: reducing insured riverine flood losses to residential properties.
However, they point out that wetlands also provide many other benefits. They include improving water quality, storing carbon, supporting wildlife habitat and creating recreational opportunities.
The study did not include many other categories of flood damage, such as losses to commercial or government property, business interruption, uninsured losses or flooding from coastal storm surge, etc. So, while the core estimate is significant, it is also conservative.
Local Interactive Map
The study also provides an interactive map that shows the value of wetlands in particular watersheds in terms of reducing downstream flood losses.
To see where the wetlands are near you, visit the USGS National Wetlands Mapper.
Under- and Unvalued Assets
Adam Gold, senior manager of coasts and watersheds science at EDF and co-author of the study, said, “Wetlands act like natural sponges during heavy rain, storing floodwater and slowing runoff before it moves downstream. Yet wetlands continue to disappear, in part because the value of the services they provide is often overlooked. Our analysis helps fill that information gap.”
Gold concludes his article by saying, “Wetlands are not just open space waiting to be developed. They are part of the infrastructure that helps reduce flood damage. And when they disappear, households and communities bear the burden, and the costs, every time a storm hits.”
Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/18/2026
3215 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
