The feasibility of restoring previously drained wetlands to reduce flood damage

The economic feasibility of restoring previously drained wetlands to reduce flood damage was evaluated in North Dakota's Maple River Watershed, a sub-watershed of the Red River Valley of the North. Benefit-cost ratios ranging from 0.2 to 0.7 were not adequate to make simple wetland restoration - based on plugging existing drains, restoration with outlet control devices, or complete restoration intended to provide a full range of wetland-based environmental services - economically feasible over a 20-year future period. Peak flood stage and flood damage would need to be reduced by 3.3% to 8% in order for wetland restoration options to break-even and the inclusion of likely non-flood related wetland benefits did not improve feasibility. It is not recommended that public funds be used for extensive wetland restoration projects throughout Maple River Watershed or across large areas of the Red River Valley for the purpose of reducing flood damage.