floodplain
noun
flood·plain
| \ ˈfləd-ˌplān
\
\
Definition of floodplain
1
: level land that may be submerged by floodwaters
2
: a plain built up by stream deposition
Examples of floodplain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The area along Greens Bayou that is considered within the 25-year floodplain is significant, Vega said, and the water comes out of its banks relatively often. — Melanie Feuk, Houston Chronicle, "Kuykendahl basin to blend nature with flood reduction efforts," 6 Sep. 2019 In Creede, about 50 miles southeast of Lake City, waters have taken over the floodplain but haven’t threatened any structures, said Kathleen Murphy, director of the town’s chamber of commerce. — Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, "18,000 sandbags later, Lake City flood fears diminish even as rivers rise across southwestern Colorado," 16 June 2019 Nationwide, only about a third of all homes in the floodplain have flood insurance, according to Kaniewski. — Christopher Flavelle, BostonGlobe.com, "Even as floods worsen with climate change, fewer people insure against disaster," 8 June 2019 Teterboro Airport Teterboro Airport sits in the floodplain of the Hackensack River, 12 miles west of Manhattan. — Christopher Maag, USA TODAY, "New Jersey's Teterboro Airport was travel hub of Jeffrey Epstein's sex traffic ring," 16 Aug. 2019 Groundwater pumping is drastically lowering water tables in the floodplains. — Paul Salopek, National Geographic, "India’s holiest river is drying up," 9 Aug. 2019 As a result, in Nebraska, Illinois and Missouri, the share of homes in floodplains that have flood insurance is now 15 percent or less. — Christopher Flavelle, BostonGlobe.com, "Even as floods worsen with climate change, fewer people insure against disaster," 8 June 2019 After leaving Imlil, Jespersen and Ueland would’ve first ascended a narrow mule trail that crossed a rocky floodplain near the village of Aroumd, which marks the official start of the trail. — Rachel Monroe, Outside Online, "Last winter, Moroccan officials found two hikers dead on the trail to the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains. The international investigation that followed revealed the fragility of the adventure travel economy, as well as what happens when a small tourist hub is suddenly made strange by violence.," 29 July 2019 The areas there within the federal floodplain are mainly along the San Luis Rey River. — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, "New federal map shows increased danger of flooding in Del Mar," 14 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'floodplain.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for floodplain
floodplain
noun
English Language Learners Definition of floodplain
: an area of low, flat land along a stream or river that may flood
: an area of land built up from soil left by floods
See the full definition for floodplain in the English Language Learners Dictionary
floodplain
noun
flood·plain
| \ ˈfləd-ˌplān
\
\
Kids Definition of floodplain
: low flat land along a stream that is flooded when the stream overflows