Question

Q. What is the basic difference between Flood plain and Natural Levees ?

Answer 1

A floodplain is an area of low-lying ground adjacent to a river, formed mainly of river sediments and subject to flooding. The floodplain includes natural levees, crevasse splays and backswamps. In most locations, these features are located within a valley carved by the river, and the lands outside of the valley and floodplain are the safest for building. However, ancient civilizations and modern development have preferentially located and built in floodplains for access to the rivers and waterways and other reasons. Rivers build their own natural levees through repeated flooding over time. They are a natural landform and the highest location on the floodplain comprised of the coarsest sediments. Artificial levees are built on top of natural levees to protect flood-prone areas and all the infrastructure, which should have been built on an upland. As we have seen with numerous current events, there are two types of artificial levees: those that have failed or have been over-topped and those that will.

Answer 2

Levees and flood plains are formed when the level of the river is above the level of the land.

Levees are banks on the side of the river which prevent the river flooding into the flood plain.

Levees can be man made - concrete or artificial - mud.

The flood plain is made up often of fertile land which encourages villages but then these can be at risk.

When the river is full, it floods into the flood plain and leaves behind fertile soil.