Is all the landfilling that is occurring along river and large stream watersheds impacting water flow, especially during high water periods?
A. The improper filling/displacing of existing flood plain release areas along rivers and major stream flows often has a domino effect as the water moves downstream. As less surface area is available for swollen rivers to “release” the excess, that extra water is forced to move downstream at both an increased flow rate and volume, thereby affecting or overloading release areas/flood plains farther downstream. Since the drainage along a watershed system increases as it tracks downstream, shrinking release acreage via reduced flood plain areas along the length of a major flow magnifies the problems and threats of flood damage the farther downstream it goes. Q.
