By WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (AP) - Scientists and people living in back-bay areas behind barrier islands in New Jersey and other places say flooding is increasing even as the problem gets less attention and money than flooding along the ocean.

Studies are underway in several places on ways to protect against flooding in these areas, but easy solutions are few.

With so many homes built in or on the edge of wetlands, building sand dunes is not an option.

Bulkheads, elevating houses and restoring marshes are among potential options.

Jeff Williams is a coastal scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey. He says flooding is happening more frequently in these areas.

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