The Watch: Increase in Climate-Related Flooding Threatens Food Crops
Climate change is worsening flooding in U.S. agricultural lands, threatening crop yields and public health. The projected average annual U.S. losses from 2015 to 2100 could total hundreds of millions of dollars for major crops.
Climate change is worsening flooding in U.S. agricultural lands, impacting crop yields, drinking water supplies, and greenhouse gas emissions. A new study found that past crop models underestimated losses due to flooding, which could match or exceed drought losses in many farming regions. The biggest U.S. risks are in major corn, soybeans, and wheat-producing states like Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa. Over 4.2 million acres of cropland in four major corn-producing states are located in flood-prone areas. Flooding can damage soil, worsen fertilizer or pesticide runoff, and increase nitrous oxide emissions. Agriculture is already the main source of U.S. nitrous oxide emissions, with corn being a significant contributor.
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