Flooding is Natural and Important
Flooding is a natural event that occurs all over the world, in cycles and at regular intervals, and has done so for millions of years. Floodplains are fertile lands that sustain various kinds of life and create the perfect conditions for supporting agriculture.
Famous fertile floodplains include the American Mississippi River Valley, the Nile River valley in Egypt, and the Tigris-Euphrates Rivers in the Middle East.
Some of the benefits of flooding include:
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Refreshes the soil of the floodplain by moving it around, depositing new soil, and eroding the old.
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Boosts plant communities by killing out plants that don’t belong in the floodplain and supporting those that do.
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Helps animals in the river by expanding their habitat range and allowing them to eat different foods during and after the flood. Flooding also triggers spawning responses in aquatic life.
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For species on land, floods help clean debris from previous years and replenish nutrients in the soil. They also leave behind additional food resources.
Flooding Benefits Life of All Kinds
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Animals that live in floodplains have adapted to their surroundings, and are highly dependent on the water. These animals rely on the annual rise and fall of the river to support their life cycles.
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From macro-invertebrates, to fish and mammals, animals need the recurrent change in water depth to survive.
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Herd animals benefit by having easy access to water, and the flat topography helps them see and avoid predators.
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Plants along the river have evolved to survive with wet roots, whereas plants that grow farther from the river would die if their roots were wet for more than a day.
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How Animals Adapt to Flooding
While certain species experience the immediate benefits of flooding, other land animals are displaced by the presence of water. Much like humans, many animals are forced to relocate during a flood event, or at least find higher ground until the water goes down.
Once the water recedes, land animals reclaim the floodplains, taking advantage of the resources left behind by floodwaters. For example, fish trapped in small bodies of water provide food for raccoons and other predatory animals.
How Humans Adapt to Flooding
Ancient Egyptians living in the fertile floodplain of the Nile River saw flooding as beneficial; the regular floods of the Nile allowed them to grow crops needed to sustain life.
Floodplains are known for their rich and fertile earth. As humans, we choose to live in floodplains to reap their agricultural benefits. However, these benefits come with a price: during a flood the river may damage or destroy what we build.
As humans, our first instinct is to try to stop flood waters from encroaching on our lives and our structures. When we view floods as a natural process, one that supports our local ecology and food supply, we can plan for floods in ways that are healthy for ourselves and our environment.
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A Natural Perspective
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Periodic flooding is inevitable, so we must take reasonable precautions against devastating damage. At the same time, we should appreciate the river and its floods and recognize them as valuable resources that support our lives.