Skip to main content

A Dutchman's fight to change how America keeps its cities above water

A Dutchman's fight to change how America keeps its cities above water

Share this story

Many see Hurricane Sandy as merely a taste of what's to come for coastal regions like the New York tri-state area as sea levels rise, and it's led to a call for action. But there are two approaches to tackling the water: either try to forcefully block it with walls and similar devices, or work around the water and give it a place to go. The latter approach has recently been championed in the Netherlands (which is no stranger to water), and last year one of the top minds in charge of keeping the Dutch dry came to work for the Obama administration. His name is Henk Ovink, and a New York Times profile looks into some of the work he's doing in the States. According to Ovink, the challenge is changing how we deal with water: it's not a matter of keeping it out — it's about working with the water and achieving balance. Be sure to read the full profile for much more on Ovink's techniques.