Flood and Floodplain Basics

What is a flood?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a flood as a “rising and overflowing of a body of water especially onto normally dry land”.  It is important to understand, however, that floods are an essential part of the natural water cycle.  Damage from flooding often occurs because humans live, work, and build within the floodplain.

What is a floodplain?

Floodplains provide temporary storage of floodwaters to minimize flood damage in other areas.

Benefits of Floods and Floodplains

Floods return natural nutrients and rich sediments to the land.
Floods replenish the water within wetlands.
Floodplains serve as a recharge area for the aquifer.
Floodplains improve water quality by filtering sediments and pollutants from floodwaters.
Floodplains serve as important natural habitats.

Floodplain Management

Floodplain management is the operation of a community program for preventative and corrective measures to reduce flood damage, and preserve and improve natural floodplain areas where appropriate.  Richland County has adopted and is enforcing local floodplain management ordinances that provide flood loss reduction and building standards for new and existing development.  The enactment and enforcement of these ordinances allows all citizens within the county, particularly those located within areas subject to periodic flooding, to obtain flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).