The Texas A&M University School of Law recently published a report on legal mechanisms and tools for responding to the impacts of recent and future flooding events resulting from storm events and sea level rise. The report, Legal Mechanisms for Mitigating Flood Impacts in Texas Coastal Communities, was published by students in the Natural Resources Systems Capstone Seminar.
The report reviews various land use tools — zoning, drainage utility systems, eminent domain, exactions and easements — that coastal communities can use to mitigate the impact of coastal flooding events. It also discusses how flooding affects water quality and the tools available for these communities to restore water bodies to healthy quality levels. Finally, the report explores programs for education and ecotourism as mechanisms that can help citizens and communities to expand understanding of flooding impacts, as well as mitigate the harms that such flooding can cause.
For more information on the report, visit the Natural Resources Systems website.