What Is a Floodplain?
Floodplains are low-lying lands next to rivers, streams, and oceans. A floodplain is any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from any source. When left in a natural state, floodplain systems store and dissipate floods without adverse impacts on humans, buildings, roads and other infrastructure. Natural floodplains add to our quality of life by providing open space, habitat for wildlife, fertile land for agriculture, and opportunities for fishing, hiking and biking.
Benefits of Floodplains
Healthy floodplains yield multiple benefits for the community including flood protection and erosion control, improved water quality, recharged aquifers, improved wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities.