Here’s what local leaders could have done to protect the region — and what they must do to prevent such disasters in the future. Restoring or preserving prairie can’t prevent flooding altogether, but it can be a tremendous help in mitigating the damage. Plan for climate changeIn planning for flooding from future storms, local officials largely look to past rainfall totals and weather patterns. But homes often flood outside flood plains in Houston — and real estate agents don’t always tell homebuyers that. Local officials need to be willing to tell their constituents some hard truths.

Source: Los Angeles Times August 29, 2017 11:00 UTC