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Floodplains are areas of land that run parallel to waterways and lakes. These flat areas are caused by the waters' overflowing their natural banks during times of heavy rain or melting snow. Floodplains have been a popular building spot for centuries for several reasons, and are a benefit to human and animal populations.
A floodplain is a natural valley floor composed of sediment that is subject to flooding from an adjacent river or stream. The body of water may be of any size. However, areas near large rivers have larger floodplains. The Mississippi River, for instance, has an enormous floodplain area at nearly 30 million acres.