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#           Societal benefits of floodplains in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds: Sediment, nutrient, and flood regulation ecosystem services      

      August 19, 2023    

Floodplains provide critical ecosystem services to people by regulating floodwaters and retaining sediments and nutrients. Geospatial analyses, field data collection, and modeling were integrated to quantify a portfolio of services that floodplains provide to downstream communities within the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds. The portfolio of services included floodplain sediment and nutrient retention and flood regulation. Sediment and nutrient retention were quantified and valued for all non-tidal wadable streams in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds. Predicted nitrogen fluxes from measurements of streambanks and floodplain geomorphic changes were summarized at various scales (river basin, state, and county) and valued using a benefits transfer approach. Floodplain flood regulation services were assessed through a pilot study focused on the Schuylkill River watershed in the Delaware River watershed. Geospatial analysis and published flood frequency estimates were used to assess baseline and counterfactual (i.e., floodplain storage removed) scenarios. Flood regulation was valued using the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Hazus model to compare differences in structural damage to private residences under baseline and counterfactual scenarios. The estimated value of floodplain sediment and nutrient retention was \$223 million United States dollars (USD) per year in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and \$38 million USD per year in the Delaware River watershed. Sediment and nutrient retention benefits were offset by a streambank erosion cost of \$123 million and \$14 million USD annually in the Chesapeake and Delaware watersheds, respectively. In the Schuylkill River watershed floodplain flood regulation was valued at \$860,000 USD per year, with an additional \$7.2 million USD annually provided through floodplain sediment and nutrient retention. Together this portfolio of floodplain ecosystem services indicates that floodplains provide substantial benefits to people by trapping nutrients and storing floodwaters.

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August 30, 2023

####                 Floodplains provide millions of dollars in benefits every year to people in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds              

Chesapeake Bay Activities, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)

link

August 30, 2023

####   Floodplains provide millions of dollars in benefits every year to people in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds

Learn More

August 21, 2023

####                 Depth grids for floodplain flood attenuation baseline and counterfactual scenarios in the Schuylkill River watershed, Pennsylvania              

Chesapeake Bay Activities, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)

#### Kristina Hopkins

##### Research Physical Scientist

South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)

khopkins@usgs.gov

919-571-4042

#### Emily J Pindilli, Ph.D.

##### Science and Decisions Center Director

Science and Decisions Center

epindilli@usgs.gov

703-648-5732

#### Gregory Noe

##### Research Ecologist

Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

gnoe@usgs.gov

703-648-5826

#### Peter Claggett

##### Research Geographer

Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

pclaggett@usgs.gov

443-370-5724

#### Labeeb Ahmed

##### Geographer

Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

lahmed@usgs.gov

410-267-5715

#### Marina Metes

##### Physical Scientist

Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center

mmetes@usgs.gov

443-498-5576

## Related Content

link

August 30, 2023

####                 Floodplains provide millions of dollars in benefits every year to people in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds              

Chesapeake Bay Activities, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)

link

August 30, 2023

####   Floodplains provide millions of dollars in benefits every year to people in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds

Learn More

August 21, 2023

####                 Depth grids for floodplain flood attenuation baseline and counterfactual scenarios in the Schuylkill River watershed, Pennsylvania              

Chesapeake Bay Activities, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)

#### Kristina Hopkins

##### Research Physical Scientist

South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)

khopkins@usgs.gov

919-571-4042

#### Emily J Pindilli, Ph.D.

##### Science and Decisions Center Director

Science and Decisions Center

epindilli@usgs.gov

703-648-5732

#### Gregory Noe

##### Research Ecologist

Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

gnoe@usgs.gov

703-648-5826

#### Peter Claggett

##### Research Geographer

Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

pclaggett@usgs.gov

443-370-5724

#### Labeeb Ahmed

##### Geographer

Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

lahmed@usgs.gov

410-267-5715

#### Marina Metes

##### Physical Scientist

Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center

mmetes@usgs.gov

443-498-5576

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USGS Headquarters12201 Sunrise Valley DriveReston, VA20192United States

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