Floodplain restoration and management
A floodplain is the area bordering a river that naturally provides space for the retention of flood and rainwater. Floodplain soils are generally very fertile and they have often been dried-out to be used as agricultural land. Floodplains in many places have also been separated from the river by dikes, berms or other structures designed to control the flow of the river. They have also been covered by legacy sediments.
Major floodplains roles have thus been lost, due to land drainage, intensive urbanization and river channelization. The objective is to restore them, their retention capacity and ecosystem functions, by reconnecting them to the river.
Restoring the floodplain roles requires measures such as:
- modification of the channel,
- removing of the legacy sediment
- creation of lakes or ponds in the floodplain
- new/modification of agricultural practices,
- afforestation, etc.
- plantation of native grasses, shrubs and trees
- creation of grassy basins and swales
- wetland creation
- invasive species removal
- riparian buffer installation and development
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Floodplain before flooding Source: Thomas Borchers’ presentation, |
Floodplain during flooding Source: Thomas Borchers’ presentation, NWRM Workshop 1 (from: Nora Künkler) |
Benefits |
Level![]() |
---|---|
BP5 - Increase evapotranspiration | Medium |
BP7 - Increase soil water retention | Medium |
BP8 - Reduce pollutant sources | Medium |
BP9 - Intercept pollution pathways | Medium |
BP12 - Create aquatic habitat | Medium |
BP16 - Reduce peak temperature | Medium |
BP17 - Absorb and/or retain CO2 | Medium |
ES9 - Filtration of pollutants | Medium |
PO4 - Improving chemical status and priority substances | Medium |
PO5 - Improving quantitative status | Medium |
PO6 - Improving chemical status | Medium |
PO8 - Prevent groundwater status deterioration | Medium |
ES5 - Climate change adaptation and mitigation | Medium |
ES5 - Climate change adaptation and mitigation | Low |
BP15 - Enhance precipitation | Low |
BP1 - Store runoff | High |
BP2 - Slow runoff | High |
BP3 - Store river water | High |
BP4 - Slow river water | High |
BP6 - Increase infiltration and/or groundwater recharge | High |
BP10 - Reduce erosion and/or sediment delivery | High |
BP11 - Improve soils | High |
BP13 - Create riparian habitat | High |
BP14 - Create terrestrial habitats | High |
ES1 - Water storage | High |
ES2 - Fish stocks and recruiting | High |
ES3 - Natural biomass production | High |
ES4 - Biodiversity preservation | High |
ES6 - Groundwater/aquifer recharge | High |
ES7 - Flood risk reduction | High |
ES8 - Erosion/sediment control | High |
ES10 - Recreational opportunities | High |
ES11 - Aesthetic/cultural value | High |
PO1 - Improving status of biology quality elements | High |
PO2 - Improving status of physico-chemical quality elements | High |
PO3 - Improving status of hydromorphology quality elements | High |
PO7 - Prevent surface water status deterioration | High |
PO9 - Take adequate and co-ordinated measures to reduce flood risks | High |
PO10 - Protection of important habitats | High |
PO11 - Better protection for ecosystems and more use of Green Infrastructure | High |
PO12 - More sustainable agriculture and forestry | High |
PO13 - Better management of fish stocks | High |
PO14 - Prevention of biodiversity loss | High |
- Revitalization of the upper Drau River in Austria
- River restoration of the lower Aurino in Italy
- Órbigo River ecological status improvement, Spain
- Restoration of the Odense river, Denmark
- Restoring the River Quaggy in London, UK
- Floodplain reconnection in the Vallei van de Grote Nete, Belgium
- Wetland restoration in Ciobarciu, Romania
- Dyke relocation on the river Elbe near Lenzen, Germany
- Floodplain restoration in the Lonjsko Polje Nature Park in Croatia
- Flood meadows in the Marais Poitevin, France
- Floodplain restoration of the river Slampe, Latvia
- Habitat Reconstruction in the forests of the Körös Valley, Hungary
- Fluvial and ecosystem restoration of the Arga-Aragon Rivers, Spain
- Room for the River: Nijmegen dike relocation, Netherlands
- Multi-purpose water management development along the Körös-ér, Hungary
- Ecological reconstruction of the Gerai Pond, Romania
- The Vonarje flood storage reservoir in Croatia
- Restoration on Comana wetlands, Romania
- Polder management near Altenheim, Germany
- Lunéville, Floodplain restoration and reconnection of hydraulic annexes, France
- Babina Restoration Project, Romania
- Preservation of floodplain forests, Slovakia
- Ecological Restoration of Vlascuta Lake, Romania
- Ecological Restoration of Pochina Lake, Romania
- Ecological Restoration of Mata Radeanu, Romania
- Floodplain restoration in the Russenski Lom Nature Park, Bulgaria
- Wachau and Danube restoration in Austria
- Baixo Vouga Lagunar (BVL) bocage landscape, Portugal
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