Precedence- Examining Flood Mitigation Strategies

Netherlands- The Maeslantkering, the largest storm surge barrier in the world, is located on the west coast of The Netherlands and closes automatically when the seas rise with a storm

1. Storm Surge Barrier- A large dam, gate, or lock — or a series of them — that manages the water that flows in and out.

    This structure is used in smaller, strategic parts of the river delta that are somewhat enclosed . The barrier could be fixed in place and allow managed flow through a portal for water exchange, tidal function and navigation. Alternatively, it could be temporarily deployed just to head off the worst flooding during a storm surge.

  2. Coastal Armoring-  Linear protection, such as levees and seawalls, that fix the shoreline in its current place.

Advantages- It is one of the oldest and behaves predictably when used with other structures to protect against rising water. It can also be redesigned to accommodate housing, or recreational areas.

Disadvantages- It is a short term solution, and that can only be built to protect against a certain storm size, or rise in sea level. It requires annual maintenance, and regular monitoring to ensure its efficacy. Moreover, it can be untrustworthy at time, most notably with Hurricane Katrina, when is coastal armoring was broken, and caused the break in the levees.

3. Elevated Development- raising the height of land or existing development and protecting it with coastal armoring.

Advantages- allows structures to be build in vulnerable shoreline areas, with a low risk of flooding.

Disadvantage- it is a short-term strategy, elevated development unless situated on stilts directly over water, will eventually need protection from flood waters if the water, if the waters actually reach it

4. Floating Development- Structures that float on the surface of the water, or may be floated occasionally during a flood, making them largely invulnerable to changing tides. Floating homes can be mooed onto the shore, or anchored onto the seafloor.

Advantages- Floating development manages well within high tides and times of seismic activity.

Disadvantages- Floating developments may work well only in protected areas

. they also don’t work well in places subject to wind wave action from storms, such as ocean coastlines.

http://www.spur.org/publications/article/2009-11-01/strategies-managing-sea-level-rise