Watershed-Based Floodplain Management
What is a Watershed?
The U.S Geological Survey describes a watershed, often referred to as a drainage basin or catchment, as the geographic area within the boundary of a drainage divide, which drains all the streams and rainfall to a common outlet.
![Illustration of a watershed](/images/img-watershed-labels.png)
![Icon representing an open book](/images/img-icon-book.png)
Watershed management typically involves water quality and pollution control, ecosystem management and river management.
What is a Floodplain?
FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program defines a floodplain as “any land area susceptible to being inundated by floodwaters from any source.”
![Illustration of a floodplain](/images/img-floodplain.png)
![Icon representing an open book](/images/img-icon-book.png)
Floodplain management typically involves implementing building standards and regulating development in flood-prone areas.
![](/images/img-lwi-icon.png)