Floods can swamp roadways, engulf buildings, and even trap people who then need rescuing by helicopters. However, floods also bring benefits like recharging aquifers that provide drinking water and providing environments for complex riverside flora and fauna. Climate change may increase both floods and droughts. Rivers flood in many ways and understanding the characteristics of a watershed is critical before undertaking flood-management projects. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) offers a nonstructural way to deal with floods, but is inadequate. Neither levees nor NFIP requirements work with the natural processes of watersheds or value a variety of natural resources. More cost-effective, sustainable methods exist.
Floodplain Management
A New Approach for a New Era
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