Recreation and Resilience: When Parks Do Double Duty

Emma DeAngeli and Margaret A. Walls
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Emma DeAngeli: Resources for the Future
Margaret A. Walls: Resources for the Future

No 26-07, RFF Reports from Resources for the Future

Abstract: Extreme precipitation events are increasing in many areas of the United States, leading to a growing number of damaging flood events. Nature-based solutions (NBS), which use natural features or processes to absorb and redirect floodwaters away from developed areas, are often seen as environmentally friendly alternatives to hard infrastructure for flood protection, such as levees and seawalls. Some NBS are small-scale, but stormwater parks are often several acres in size and provide important community co-benefits in the form of outdoor recreation. In this report, we describe the double-duty performed by stormwater parks in three cities in the United States, Atlanta, Houston, and Virginia Beach. We explain how the cities overcame five major challenges to successfully design, construct, and finance the parks. We then discuss the special challenges that small towns face in developing solutions to flooding problems and describe the situation in two Maryland towns where valuable community parks are flooding hot spots.

Date: 2026-04-09
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:rff:report:rp-26-07

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