An amusing tidbit, at least if you don't depend on the Lincoln and Holland tunnels under the Hudson River.
The enlarging of the lower part of Manhattan Island via landfill narrowed the Hudson River channel. Since there has been no concomitant reduction in the amount of water draining through the river, the result has been an increase in the force and speed of the current. This, in turn, has caused greater scouring of the sediment at the bottom of the river. If left unchecked, this scouring could eventually expose the tunnels directly to the water, which would leave them more vulnerable to collapse and flooding.
There are amelioration efforts under way, but I thought this was a wonderful example of unintended consequences. One kind of development threatens another....
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