Floodplain Wetland Management: A Tool for Flood Control.

Abstract

Wetlands are often drained, filled up and eventually destroyed in the process of urban development and needless to say this has been a part of civilizations, both past and present around the globe. This is because we human beings have placed ourselves at the centre of all the species on this planet due to our having a false notion of supremacy. On one hand we talk of wellbeing and on the other we lack sensitivity to our natural environment from which we derive all the resources to sustain wellbeing. Wetlands are one of the many natural environmental entities that play an immense role in terms of providing ecosystem services. Recognizing this fact the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance was held in the city of Ramsar, Iran in 1971 and an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands was signed by various countries including India. Used by many different organisms at different stages of their lives, wetlands have been found to be one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, placing them in the same category as rain forests and coral reefs. We may therefore term wetlands as "biological supermarkets".Although wetland ecosystems are important habitat for amphibians, fish, plants, and other wildlife, this paper primarily deals with the role a well managed wetland plays in controlling flood and mitigating its potential damage.This paper examines the potential of Floodplain Wetland in controlling flood.