How wetlands help cities fight floods in Belgium

Belgium turns to wetlands to manage flooding and drought risks

Wetlands in Belgium are being restored to absorb floods and ease drought, but residents remain divided over whether the projects go far enough to protect their homes and cities.Martina Domladovac reports for Deutsche Welle.In short:The Sigma Plan, launched after devastating floods in the 1970s, combines dikes, quays, and depoldered flood zones to reduce flood risks while restoring natural river habitats.Farmers and residents initially resisted l…

How wetlands help cities fight floods in Belgium

From Antwerp to Mechelen, restored wetlands act like giant sponges — soaking up stormwater and easing drought. Here's how the plan works, how residents got on board and what's still missing.