Flooding Worsened by Invasive Weeds

From a press release in Weed Science Society of America: Flooding Along Our Nation's Rivers Worsened by Invasive Weeds. "This year flooding has ravaged thousands of homes and businesses in communities across the U.S. And scientists say the prevalence of invasive weeds is one of the factors that may be contributing to the damage."
Timothy Prather, University of Idaho said, "Reclaiming riparian areas and restoring native species can be vital to flood control, water quality and even wildlife habitat. It is important that we focus on early identification of invasive weeds, understand their growth patterns and how they spread, and establish an effective management plan before it’s too late."
Read the article for the explanation of how the presence of invasive plants can increase the damage caused by flooding.