Restoring Yellowstone National Park after recent floods washed away bridges and roads could cost more than $1 billion, and the effort could take years given the challenge of making repairs in a protected landscape.
In Yellowstone, crews can only work from late spring until the first snow in the fall, giving them just a few months each year to rebuild. Adding to the challenge are the frequent, small earthquakes that rattle roads and bridges. Emily Douce, director of operations and funding at the National Parks Conservation Association, told the Associated Press that rebuilding costs could exceed $1 billion.
Workers would have to be careful not to disturb the landscape, as when reconstructing the road running by Mammoth Hot Springs, where water bubbles up from underground vents, flowing over a series of stone terraces. Crews would also need to avoid disturbing wildlife, from the largest bison down to the smallest microbe, or damaging Native American artifacts.
Read more at Yale Environment 360