You may not think about floodplains all that much.
In the past we tried to “control” rivers so we could “use” the floodplain – straightening unruly rivers and building levees to keep the water in its place. We built whole cities where rivers once meandered. Now, salmon runs are disappearing and people live in the path of dangerous floodwaters.
Floodplain management needs a re-think. Our challenge is to modernize our approach so floodplains can sustain us – all of us – as our climate changes and population swells.
Challenge accepted.
What’s Floodplains by Design?
OUR STORIES
LEQUE ISLAND
45 years and 250 acres later, the Skagit Wildlife area gets its salt marsh back.
Photo credit: Courtney Baxter/TNC
AGRICULTURAL RESILIENCE
A plan for farmers grown from farmers to re-envision agricultural land in Snohomish County.
Photo credit: Courtney Baxter/TNC
WORKING TOGETHER AND THINKING BIG IS HOW WE GET THERE.
OUR IMPACT
On-the-ground actions are what matter most.
There's no one path to get there. From moving levees back to provide habitat and flood storage, to preservation of agricultural lands from development: our projects are varied and seek innovative solutions to floodplain management.
On-the-ground actions are what matter most.
There's no one path to get there. From moving levees back to provide habitat and flood storage, to preservation of agricultural lands from development: our projects are varied and seek innovative solutions to floodplain management.
NEWS STORIES
FbD Grant Application Map Templates Now Available!
The Nature Conservancy has developed a set of ArcGIS map templates for FbD grant applicants to use in the upcoming round of FbD grant funding. These templates are available to use with ArcGIS v10.3 or later and are optional but encouraged. Since this is the first year...
Leque Island: 250 Acres Open to the Tide
By Kat Morgan, Associate Director for Puget Sound Conservation Seven years ago this fall, I wore a hard hat and safety vest to visit The Nature Conservancy’s Port Susan Bay Preserve as a major estuary restoration project was underway. 150 acres of former estuary was...
Floodplains by Design is Seeking a Consultant!
The Washington Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (“Conservancy”) is seeking qualifications from qualified consultants to facilitate the Floodplains by Design (FbD) leadership and work group meetings, project manage the creation of a collaborative governance structure...
RSVP for our Spring Workshop!
The Confluence of Innovation and Collaboration A day of sharing stories, challenges, questions and generate new ideas to further advance integrated floodplain management Tuesday, May 28, 2019 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM The Mountaineers 7700 Sand Point Way NE Seattle, WA...
Editorial: Floodplains projects worth state’s investment
Check out this article by the Everett Harold that highlights projects funded by Floodplains by Design, and the need for funding for these projects. This article highlights two projects in Snohomish County, including one with the Sustainable Lands Strategy and the...
Floodplains by Design is Seeking a Consultant!
The Washington Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (“Conservancy”) is seeking qualifications from qualified consultants to facilitate the Floodplains by Design (FbD) leadership meetings and support an organizational transition to a more collaborative and sustainable...