A floodplain is a (geomorphologically) flat river bed, formed by river deposits, where the water flow naturally meanders and slows down the outflow. This allows water to infiltrate and increase the groundwater reserves in the area.
Brejlský potok flows through the meadow in which you are now standing and naturally drains rainfall, but also drains the drainage systems from the surrounding farmland. Water from the catchment flows through the floodplain on the surface in the watercourse (stream) itself and below the surface - in the alluvia. In these, water infiltrates and percolates and gradually accumulates from shallower to deeper aquifers (continuous accumulation of groundwater in a rock).
The natural condition of the floodplain ensures that inflow to the groundwater supplies in the area is maintained. In addition, a number of important processes take place in the floodplain that are not visible to the human eye. The natural wetland ecosystems of the floodplain contribute significantly to the purification of water runoff from agricultural areas - for example, the breakdown of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides. Disruption of floodplain function therefore has the effect of increasing the negative impacts of drought, reducing the volume of stored water, and damaging the surrounding ecosystems and their rich biodiversity.
