Floods & droughts are nothing new

But flood-plain dwellers and their insurers (not tax payers) should bear the costs of occasional floods or droughts. If you like the river views and fertile alluvial soils, you must accept the full cost and inconvenience of the occasional flood.

The natural weather cycles between floods and famines will continue. Every generation leaves a legacy for its descendants – our ancestors bequeathed us stored water and productive farmland. Today's green religion demonises dams and farmers so our descendants will suffer more than we suffer now. Pinched bellies are worse than wet feet.

Prudent people would build more dams to moderate the La Nina floods and to provide insurance against the inevitable El Nino droughts. This generation is not building dams – in fact, right now, officials are RELEASING stored water from dams. They will be cursed by some future generation.