Preventing Catastrophic Flooding: The Secret is in the Soil

Bryan Hummel is a big-time water nerd. Specializing in nature-based solutions to watershed and land management issues, he has brought his expertise to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US Air Force, industry, and agriculture. The key to preventing flooding, he says, is to restore degraded land so that the soil becomes like a sponge, absorbing water and recharging subterranean aquifers––and in the process preventing flooding and contributing to the success of farming and ranching businesses, which thrive with abundant water resources. His techniques include beaver and bison biomimicry and permaculture techniques that slow, spread, and sink water into the soil instead of letting it run off.