Flood plains play a valuable role in providing natural and beneficial functions to the area around, and including, Sterling Heights. Flood plains that are relatively undisturbed provide a wide range of benefits to both human and natural systems. These benefits provide aesthetic pleasure as well as function to provide active processes such as filtering nutrients so that these areas can maintain bio-diversity and ecosystem sustainability.
Flood plains enhance waterfowl and other wildlife habitats and provide feeding and breeding grounds. They provide natural erosion control and open space so further flooding damage does not occur.