Examples include:

• low-cost solution
• reduces additional impermeable surface coverage of the floodplain
• protects and conserves water meadows for wildlife and recreation
• reduces insurance costs when property is flooded

Find out more about soft engineering.

Social:

• Safer from flooding due to the increased carrying capacity of the river so the risk of flooding to nearby settlements is reduced.
• Embankments are often used for walking routes which makes the embankment a more attractive walkway for local people.

Economic:

• Cheap compared to other methods of hard engineering

Environmental:

• Habitats are provided for riverbank animals such as otters, voles and kingfishers

Find out more about hard engineering.

A valley cross-profile includes the channel, the valley floor and the sides of the valley.

Find out more about the cross profile of a river.

Levees are naturally raised riverbanks found along the sides of the river channel that has experienced flooding.

Find out more about landforms in the lower course of the river.

It becomes narrow and steep-sided in the upper course due to vertical erosion.

Find out more about the long profile of a river.