A significant number of properties are at risk from flooding along catchments that include Dartmoor. For example across the South Devon Catchment it is estimated that roughly 5% of all properties are at risk of flooding once in every hundred years. In the Tamar Catchment which includes the River Tavy and its tributaries, the police station in Tavistock is said to be at risk. It is thought possible that with the effects of climate change the number of properties affected could rise dramatically, as outlined in the various Catchment Flood Management Plans produced by the Environment Agency.

In many parts of Africa, the montane forest which clothes the mountain ranges and the high plateaux forms the last reserve for rare birds and mammals this has been recognised for a while. What has emerged more recently is the argument that montane forest around the headwaters of rivers in the drier areas is important in mediating the release of rainfall and ground water into the water courses, particularly where patterns of rainfall appear to be growing less consistent. With land and firewood in short supply, the pressure on montane forest from local farmers is increasing. This is already leading to conflict between those trying to manage resources at a strategic regional level and those desperate to make the most of dwindling basic necessities locally. The fates of fresh water and forest are likely to become increasingly linked if extreme weather events grow more frequent.