Tuesday February 18, 2025
River Partners —
With powerful storms battering California, the need for bold, nature-based flood solutions is clear. Our state is experiencing more extreme and frequent floods that put communities and our future in harm’s way, and our rivers already hold the key to resilience. By restoring native habitat along rivers and reconnecting historic floodplains, we create natural buffers that absorb floodwaters, reduce levee stress, and protect people—while also recharging groundwater and reviving vital wildlife habitat for endangered species like salmon.
This month, we saw those benefits in action. River Partners’ restored riverside forests successfully absorbed floodwaters, demonstrating how reconnected floodplains act as natural shock absorbers.
Scientists warn that California’s weather will become even more erratic in the coming years, with worsening cycles of flood and drought known as hydroclimate whiplash. California recently passed $10 billion-Proposition 4, and the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan among other state initiatives call for multi-billion-dollar investments in flood management, especially for large-scale floodplain restoration throughout the Central Valley and beyond. By investing in nature-based solutions, we can safeguard communities, water supplies, wildlife, and build a durable California for generations to come.