Preserving mapped floodplains as natural open space provides the following benefits:
- Open space areas provide a place for the flood waters to flow, reducing the damage to nearby properties
- Natural areas are typically more resilient to flooding and will often recover with minimal intervention
- Open space areas are typically free of buildings, so there are no buildings to be damaged
- Floods are a natural process and, in some areas, are essential for providing material and nutrients to maintain native habitats
Over 50 percent of the mapped floodplain within the City is owned and/or managed by the City, with most of the properties being preserved as open space. The Clear Creek greenbelt and Lewis Meadows Park are examples of areas that are kept natural.