A floodplain, or flood plain, is flat or nearly flat land adjacent
to a stream or river that experiences occasional or periodic
flooding. It includes the flood way, which consists of the stream
channel and adjacent areas that carry flood flows, and the flood
fringe, which are areas covered by the flood, but which do not
experience a strong current.
Floodplains can support particularly rich ecosystems, both in
quantity and diversity. They are a category of riparian zones or
systems. A floodplain can contain 100 or even 1000 times as many
species as a river. Wetting of the floodplain soil releases an
immediate surge of nutrients: those left over from the last flood,
and those that result from the rapid decomposition of organic
matter that has accumulated since then. Microscopic organisms
thrive and larger species enter a rapid breeding cycle.
Opportunistic feeders (particularly birds) move in to take
advantage. The production of nutrients peaks and falls away
quickly; however the surge of new growth endures for some time.
This makes floodplains particularly valuable for agriculture.
Markedly different species grow in floodplains than grow outside of
floodplains. For instance, riparian trees (that grow in
floodplains) tend to be very tolerant of root disturbance and tend
to be very quick-growing, compared to non-riparian trees
Historically, many towns, homes and other buildings have been
built on floodplains where they are highly susceptible to flooding,
for several reasons:
This is where water is most available;
Floodplain land is usually the most fertile for farming;
River transportation was a key economic factor in the founding of
many communities;
Rivers represent cheap sources of transportation, and are often
where railroads are located; and
Flat land is easier to develop than hilly land.
To receive credit for this cache answer 3 questions.
1. How many floods has Lawrenceburg suffered from since
1825.
2. Only 1 flood has occurred in the month of Dec what year was
that.
3. what was the highest flood level and what year did it
occur.
Last thing you have to do is post a picture of your GPS at the
site.
Hope you enjoy this cache and learn something.
Oh yeah no pic listing will be deleted
