How ghost streams and redlining’s legacy lead to unfairness in flood risk, in Detroit and elsewhere

In Detroit, residents of most of the neighborhoods that show a major to extreme flood risk are not required to purchase flood insurance because they are not near an active river. This means residents are unknowingly at risk.

Another benefit to mapping ghost wetlands and rivers is that stormwater management is most effective if it follows natural pathways and processes.

Stormwater engineers frequently refer to this as “nature-based interventions” or “green stormwater infrastructure.”

During a flood, water occupies the lowest areas of a landscape, such as an abandoned stream valley or filled wetland. Those low areas are a good place to build green stormwater infrastructure, such as rain gardens that absorb water or bioswales that convey moving water.

Some solutions can reflect culture or embrace art: Detroit’s Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History installed permeable pavers with a unique West African-inspired design to minimize and manage floodwater following major flooding in Detroit in 2014.

In my view, marginalized communities need to have a strong voice in the search for solutions. Discrimination against these communities helped create the current problem. Listening to them now is key to both minimizing flood damage and beginning to right a historical injustice.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Jacob Napieralski, University of Michigan-Dearborn

Jacob Napieralski does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.