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Floodplain Management: A New Approach for a New Era
A flooding river is very hard to stop. Many residents of the United States have discovered this the hard way. Right now, over five million Americans hold flood insurance policies from the National Flood Insurance Program, which estimates that flooding causes at least six billion dollars in damages every year. Like rivers after a rainstorm, the financial costs are rising along with the toll on residents. And the worst is probably yet to come. Most scientists believe that global climate change will result in increases in flooding.
The authors of this book present a straightforward the time to stop a flooding rivers is before is before it floods. Floodplain Management outlines a new paradigm for flood management, one that emphasizes cost-effective, long-term success by integrating physical, chemical, and biological systems with our societal capabilities. It describes our present flood management practices, which are often based on dam or levee projects that do not incorporate the latest understandings about river processes. And it suggests that a better solution is to work with the natural tendencies of the retreat from the floodplain by preventing future development (and sometimes even removing existing structures); accommodate the effects of floodwaters with building practices; and protect assets with nonstructural measures if possible, and with large structural projects only if absolutely necessary.
The authors of this book present a straightforward the time to stop a flooding rivers is before is before it floods. Floodplain Management outlines a new paradigm for flood management, one that emphasizes cost-effective, long-term success by integrating physical, chemical, and biological systems with our societal capabilities. It describes our present flood management practices, which are often based on dam or levee projects that do not incorporate the latest understandings about river processes. And it suggests that a better solution is to work with the natural tendencies of the retreat from the floodplain by preventing future development (and sometimes even removing existing structures); accommodate the effects of floodwaters with building practices; and protect assets with nonstructural measures if possible, and with large structural projects only if absolutely necessary.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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June 17, 2015
The authors make several good points about managing floodplains and how we should view rivers. With a background in fluvial geomorphology and environmental consulting, I found a fair bit of the information as review. Nevertheless, there were some salient points made. I enjoyed the section on resilience: "Systems that are resistant to disturbance do not change their structure and function much when disturbed.... A system that is not resistant may change dramatically after disturbance, but if is resilient, it will recover to its approximate original state once the disturbance is over or removed." Statements such as this further support the idea that rivers need room to migrate laterally.
The authors cover some socio-economic territory and provide some case studies whereby floodplains have been protected to provide important ecological services. I particularly enjoyed the section on water spreading, which is really what a floodplain is designed to do. Unfortunately, in too many places, rivers are disconnected from their floodplains and are unable to spread floodwaters. I would have preferred the authors spending a bit more time on this section and delve into how these areas are identified and what some of the social and political hurdles are to creating water spreading areas.
For someone like me who has an interest in rivers and preserving their many social and ecological benefits I found this book to be a good read with a good amount of helpful information in it in terms of how to manage floodplains that provide numerous benefits to humans, plants and critters.
The authors cover some socio-economic territory and provide some case studies whereby floodplains have been protected to provide important ecological services. I particularly enjoyed the section on water spreading, which is really what a floodplain is designed to do. Unfortunately, in too many places, rivers are disconnected from their floodplains and are unable to spread floodwaters. I would have preferred the authors spending a bit more time on this section and delve into how these areas are identified and what some of the social and political hurdles are to creating water spreading areas.
For someone like me who has an interest in rivers and preserving their many social and ecological benefits I found this book to be a good read with a good amount of helpful information in it in terms of how to manage floodplains that provide numerous benefits to humans, plants and critters.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review