This can present a fair number of problems, especially where development has occurred in the river's path and it's floodplain. However, floods are not a bad thing, at least from an ecological standpoint.
Floods are a very important part of the natural processes which shape river channels.
Floodwaters deposit the silt on floodplains, making them more fertile. In the Ipswich River Watershed, the silver maple floodplain forest in Middleton and Topsfield is one of the ecological gems of the region. This floodplain forest, including several rare plant species, is entirely dependent on regular flooding for its survival. Many people question whether it would be possible to capture flood flows and store the water for summer use. One limitation is the lack of places to store large amounts of water.