It's a problem that researchers say will not be going away anytime soon: As the frequency and intensity of rain storms increases for the Cook County region, many homes and businesses are at risk or will be at risk of flooding.
Massive infrastructure overhauls needed to fix this take time, money and forward thinking from all parties, advocates say, but there are other types of solutions some communities have explored, like rain gardens. Beneath the colorful blooms, buried underground is a basin the size of a large concrete mixer truck, capable of collecting nearly 6,000 gallons of water.
"It's really helpful when solutions can do multiple things," Alias explained. "Here, we have flood, or storm water management. But we also can think about being in a green space, and the mental health benefits. Especially because it's right next to a playground, that way youth and their families might be able to explore nature in a different way."