Why Protect?

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The properties lie within a riparian area, as well as the floodway for the Highwood River. A riparian area is classified as land adjacent to a water body.     

Healthy riparian areas are critical for the health and wellbeing of the waterbody it surrounds, which includes bank stability, water quality, and habitat for fish and wildlife. Improved water quality is not only good for the fish, but for our watershed and our communities! 

Limiting development in the floodway helps preserve the natural floodway in order to mitigate downstream flooding, as it gives the river “room to run”. More permeable surfaces in the floodway allow the water to be absorbed by the soil, thus decreasing the amount of water flowing downstream. Vegetation also slows the speed of the water, again allowing the water to percolate into the soil.  

Protecting these properties also creates a wildlife corridor, which connects natural landscapes and enables wildlife to move freely along the river.