By Tim Palmer
University of California Press, 2024
320 pages, hardcover, $27.95
After witnessing repeated instances of high water over various roads and beaches in my own little town, I was intrigued by Tim Palmer’s book, ”Seek Higher Ground: The Natural Solution to Our Urgent Flooding Crisis,” which gives a knowledgeable deep dive into flooding throughout the United States with a focus on inland flooding of rivers, rather than coastal flooding. It covers the history of floods and the programs we’ve used so far, as well as potential solutions that are being implemented now and could help solve problems into the future as the climate warms and flooding worsens — in fact, according to the book, “flood damages in the US will increase 26% in the next three decades.”
“Seek Higher Ground” is filled with other eye-opening statistics and details about the prevalence of floods and the amount of money spent on solutions that are not always effective and — as Palmer lays out — have sometimes made the problem worse. Various ecological and societal implications are addressed, while keeping in mind some inequities across race and class lines in past and current programs. The interconnectedness of some of the challenges — which are also some of the solutions — becomes clear throughout the book.
After critiquing some current and past programs — building more dams, levees, and flood insurance to name a few — Palmer describes various case studies and potential solutions that he has seen throughout his career. These include learning to acknowledge the importance of floods to our ecosystems, supporting relocation, reforming flood insurance, building greenways, and more. Also underscored is the importance of having a positive future vision for our floodplains. Working towards a new vision can be a helpful tool for reimagining current uses and for facing the challenges the future will bring.
– Anna Libby, Mount Vernon, Maine
This review was originally published in the fall 2024 issue of The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener. Browse the archives for free content on organic agriculture and sustainable living practices.
