Natural Floodplain Functions Alliance Webinar Series

Floodplain restoration efforts by Yakima County on the Yakima River | Jonathan Loos

The Natural Floodplain Functions Alliance envisions a future in which the values and benefits of floodplains in their natural state are recognized as essential to resilient communities.

Our community of practice connects federal, state, and local agencies, organizations, and practitioners working to protect and restore floodplains and raises awareness of the economic, social, and environmental values of floodplains.

Join the Natural Floodplain Functions Alliance for a series of webinars on expanding floodplain restoration work across the nation, and learn how we can work together to address the climate and biodiversity crisis through floodplain restoration. In this upcoming webinar series, we will dive into current issues, and discuss opportunities for transformational change through an integrated floodplain management framework.

Upcoming Webinars

Ecosystem Valuation and Floodplain Restoration-November 5th from 3:00-4:00 pm EST

Substantive research has shown that functional floodplains are among the most valuable ecosystems because they provide critical ecosystem services. Join Earth Economics, a non-profit focused on quantifying and valuing nature, for an in-depth discussion on Floodplain Ecosystem Services and Valuation. Speakers will focus on the essential benefits nature provides, such as clean water, flood protection, and recreation, explain Earth Economics’ methodology for valuing these services, and discuss several case studies where they have valued projects linked to floodplain restoration.
Attendance at this webinar will earn the CFM participant 1 CEC credit.

Speakers
Glen Delaney (he/him) is a project director and director of partnerships at Earth Economics, a non-profit with a mission to quantify and value nature for better decision-making. He has led valuations of diverse ecosystems from salmon habitat restoration in Washington to the Greater Everglades. Previously, Glen was a British commercial officer in San Francisco, supporting the UK’s climate agenda during COP26.

Erin Mackey (she/her) leads Earth Economics’ Working Lands research, drawing on Louisiana roots and global farming experience to improve water and land health. Erin has led economic analyses of floodplain restoration projects, such as The Economic Impact of Restoring the Big Quilcene River Floodplain with salmon-focused NGOs.

Learn more and register here.

Past Webinars

American Rivers and Conservation Science Partners have partnered to create a National Floodplain Assessment Map and Report. This project quantifies the degree of floodplain protection and alteration across the United States and will serve as a tool to increase the pace and scale of floodplain protection and restoration to meet the most pressing challenges of our time: climate change, cultural differences, and the loss of biodiversity. Learn more about how to interpret the National Floodplain Assessment Map and use it to inform and advance floodplain restoration projects. Speakers: Eileen Shader, American Rivers and Conservation Science Partners

April 23rd, 2025 – State Integrated Floodplain Management – American Rivers is working with partners, including The Nature Conservancy and River Network to launch a campaign to advance IFM in more states across the nation by building committed leaders, refining programmatic frameworks that support IFM, providing technical support, and bringing together diverse stakeholders. This webinar provided an overview of Integrated Floodplain Management and the multiple benefits that states and communities can realize using IFM strategies. We discussed the enabling conditions necessary for effective IFM at a state level, provided examples of states leading the way on IFM, and laid out strategies for replicating IFM in other states.

January 16, 2025 – Hear from Natural Floodplain Functions Alliance (NFFA) members who have worked directly with frontline communities most affected by flood risk. From the South Chicago suburbs to Carson City, Nevada, learn about best practices for centering communities when developing flooding solutions. Dr. Rachel Scarlett will provide an overview of the Civic Innovation Hub’s approach with recruiting community members and developing urban flooding related workshops that fit the needs of their local. Debbie Neddenripe will discuss work the Carson River Coalition has been doing with local, state and federal agencies, tribal governments, and citizen-driven groups to drive an Integrated Watershed Planning Process (IWPP).

October 16, 2024: Clean Water for All
Since the Sackett v. EPA ruling, clean water protections for the majority of wetland and streams across the U.S. are now the responsibility of the states and no longer under federal protection. Learn from Kristine Oblock, Senior Campaign Manger at Clean Water for All, and Sarah Edwards, legislative council at the Southern Environmental Law Center, about the current state of clean water protections, and actionable ways you can step in and step up.

Delaware River Floodplain | Nicholas Tonelli

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FLOODPLAIN RESOURCE LIBRARY

American Rivers staff on Yakima River, Washington | Jonathan Loos