In dry seasons, restored floodplains can be wildlife preserves. But they also can be soccer fields, golf courses, even farm fields for annual crops like tomatoes or melons.

Efforts to make room for rivers to spread out on floodplains hold promise as a solution to capture and store water — and to help struggling fish and ecosystems.

During droughts, floodplains offer critical water and shelter for wildlife when nearby areas dry out. A natural floodplain provides multiple benefits, even when there’s not extreme weather. Features ...

Worsening issues for millions of Americans living in floodplains 02:56. An estimated 40 million Americans live in floodplains, facing a risk of catastrophic flooding that puts them and their homes ...

Many schools are built in floodplains, leaving the buildings vulnerable to inundation particularly as climate change enhances flood risks across New England.