By Kurt Repanshek – National Parks Traveler – November 11, 2011

Wet weather this fall has created a problem of standing water at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, where officials say a high water table is responsible. Quick solutions, though, are not readily available, as various state and federal laws prevent the park from simply draining the water away.  While the national seashore has a drainage ditch system, it was built "decades ago before the Wetlands Protection Act and other modern environmental laws came into existence," says Cyndy Holda, the seashore's spokeswoman. To read full story, click here.

The Association of State Wetland Managers is a founding member of the Natural Floodplain Function Alliance (NFFA). The Alliance is an affiliation of federal agencies, professional and nonprofit organizations, and individuals who are dedicated to the protection and preservation of the natural functions of floodplains, which includes coastal areas.  It was established to “promote, protect, and enhance the protection, restoration, and management of natural floodplain resources.” For more information, contact Jeanne Christie with the Association of State Wetland Managers. For information, click here.

By American Rivers – December 2010

The rising toll of annual floods sends a clear message: it is time to adopt a 21st century approach to flood management. One that places our “natural defenses” — wetlands, rivers, floodplains, and upland areas — at the core of flood management. This green infrastructure is the most reliable, cost-effective, and flexible practice for communities to adapt to a changing climate. These approaches won’t altogether replace traditional engineering but will augment and buffer those traditional approaches. For full report, click here.