A floodplain, or flood plain, is flat or nearly flat land adjacent to a stream or river that experiences occasional flooding. ... Floodplains are formed in two ways: by erosion; and by aggradation. An erosional floodplain is created as a stream cuts deeper into its channel and laterally into its banks.

What is a flood plain and how does it form?

Floodplains are the areas of low-lying ground adjacent to rivers, formed mainly of nutrient-rich river sediments and subject to flooding after storms and heavy snowmelt.

Is a flood plain a landform?

What is a Floodplain Landform? A floodplain is a primarily flat area of land bordering a river that floods when the river is unusually high. If the area has flooded at least once during the last 100 years, it may be considered an active floodplain.