Since the mid-1970s, local government has regulated development in floodplains. The Floodplain Ordinance and Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Ordinance limit or restrict new construction or certain types of development in floodplains and stream buffers.

Where feasible, Storm Water Services aims to restore the natural function of the floodplain. Projects along creeks are designed so that the floodplain can hold floodwater that spills over the bank tops.

List of Floodplain Restoration Projects:

Briar Creek-Country Club Heights neighborhood (along Dunlavin Way)
Briar Creek-Randolph to Meadowbrook Roads
Briar Creek-Runnymede Lane to Park Road 
Briar Creek - former Doral/Cavalier site (Chantilly)
Caldwell Station Creek
Irwin Creek
Little Sugar Creek-Hidden Valley
Little Sugar Creek-Cullman Avenue (NoDa)
Little Sugar Creek-7th Street to Elizabeth Avenue (CPCC)
Little Sugar Creek-Elizabeth Avenue to Charlottetowne Avenue (Elizabeth)
Little Sugar Creek-Charlottetowne Avenue to Pearl Park Way (Midtown)
Little Sugar Creek-Pearl Park Way to Morehead Street (along Kings Drive)
Little Sugar Creek-Liz Hair Nature Walk 
Little Sugar Creek-Freedom Park 
Little Sugar Creek-Westfield 
McAlpine Creek-Sardis to Providence 
McAlpine Creek @ Sardis 
McAlpine Creek-Lancer to Sentinal Post 
McDowell Creek Watershed 
McDowell Creek-Westmoreland to Sam Furr Roads 
McIntyre Creek 
Torrence Creek (starting at McCoy Road)
Torrence Creek Tributary #1 (starting near Gilead Road)
Torrence Creek Tributary #2 (starting near I-77)
Upper McDowell Creek-Pine Ridge Drive to Danesway Lane