What are floodplains and shorelands?
The floodplains of a river are the wide, gently sloping areas usually lying on both sides of a river or stream channel. The flow of a river onto its floodplain is a normal phenomenon and, in the absence of flood control works, can be expected to occur periodically. For planning and regulatory purposes, floodplains are defined as those areas subject to inundation by the 100-year recurrence interval flood event. This event has a 1 percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. Floodplains are generally not well suited for urban development because of the flood hazard, the presence of high water tables, and soils poorly suited to urban uses. Shorelands are defined by the Wisconsin Statutes as lands within the following distances from the ordinary high water mark of navigable waters: one thousand feet from a lake, pond, or flowage; and three hundred feet from a river or stream, or to the landward side of the floodplain, whichever distance is greater. The floodplains shown o
