Reducing the Impacts of Flood and Drought: The Unsung Hero of the Watershed
The water cycle and the life cycle are one. Water is the lifeblood that vitalizes all living things. It has the power to paint a landscape with color as it nourishes the life it touches. When water runs low, color fades from the earth, and life cannot thrive.
California is in a water crisis as we face extreme drought. This current drought is potentially on track to become the worst that we've seen in at least 1,200 years.
Drought causes destruction of fish and wildlife habitat, increased stress on endangered species, loss of wetlands, soil erosion, an increase in wildfires, and so much more. So what can we do to help to reduce the impact of droughts? By using nature's perfectly designed solutions - floodplains!
Climate change will exacerbate the swings between floods and droughts in California, and floodplains are the perfect mediator. They help to reduce floods, droughts, AND water pollution!
During heavy rainfall, floodplains allow more space for the water to spread, preventing high flood waves that travel fast down the river.
When rivers are connected to their floodplains and able to spread out, the water has time to seep in the ground and recharge groundwater supplies during dry seasons, which successfully mitigates the impact of drought.
Besides flood and drought protection, floodplains, as well as associated habitats such as wetlands and riparian forests, act as natural filters, removing pollutants and excess sediment, which otherwise degrade water quality. Floodplains also provide critical habitat for a large diversity of plants and animals, both on land and in the water. Many of these species are endangered or threatened, such as Chinook Salmon that rely on floodplains during the early stages of their life.
Today, much of the Tuolumne River’s natural floodplain and riparian habitat has been severely degraded or lost altogether due to agricultural and urban development. BUT we have good news! With the superpowers of floodplains in mind, we are contributing to the largest contiguous riparian habitat restoration initiative in California!
We are working alongside community partners to revive the lower 52 miles of river and watershed through the creation of the Tuolumne River Parkway — a collection of 25 projects that provide critical habitat for wildlife and places for people to enjoy and learn about the river.
The Carpenter Road portion of the Tuolumne River Regional Park is currently a 75-acre vacant field. The site is highly impacted by a legacy of urban and agricultural encroachment, levee construction, loss of riparian vegetation, poor water quality, and refuse. In simpler terms, this once well-functioning floodplain is no longer able to do its job.
Carpenter Road Area Floodplain Restoration Project Concept
We are in the process of bringing this floodplain back to health by improving the surrounding riparian forest, purifying stormwater runoff, and reducing the amount of pollution that enters the Tuolumne. This project will also reduce the risk of flooding for adjacent neighborhoods, most of which are underserved communities of color. In addition to the ecological benefits of floodplain restoration, we are constructing recreational amenities such as trails, river overlooks, and fishing platforms for residents to enjoy!
These are just a few examples of our work to restore floodplains!
