Reduce severity or extent of water-saturated soil and flood damage

More extreme precipitation events also increase the frequency for flooding or standing water in low-lying and susceptible areas. Extended periods of excess water during the growing period can lead to yield declines or crop losses. Wet soils can also hinder field operations and animal agriculture activities like grazing or exercise. This approach builds on actions in line with sustaining fundamental functions of soil and water, in order to maintain and improve the soil’s function to infiltrate water and protect water quality in response to higher peak flows, runoff velocities, and soil erosion resulting from increasingly severe storm events. If the cost of these enhancements or risks of failure become prohibitive, actions to alter management, systems, or infrastructure may also be suitable.

Climate change increases overall climate variability. In addition, climate change is expected to increase the likelihood of extreme weather including extreme precipitation and storms, which will increasingly challenge agricultural activity. Further, extreme cold, snow, and other winter conditions will continue to persist—or even increase, such as with mid-latitude snow in some areas—for many decades into the future. Even as trends continue to emerge, responses will need to adjust appropriately to the changes in extreme weather. Adaptation actions that improve the capacity to adapt to enhanced weather variability, and extreme events in particular, will generally improve overall climate change preparedness.