If I were to build a house within 300 feet of a river in the United States, what regulations should I expect?

**TL;DR: I need to know what regulations I should expect if I were to build a home within 300 feet of a river in the United States.**<br><br>My story begins about 3 years ago, when I first started using Reddit. I was reading through an r/relationship_advice post when I saw a comment with a picture of a beautiful little house along a river in the United States. I’m not sure how it’s originally credited, or who the photographer is. But my response was simply this: **That’s where I want to live.**<br><br>Fast forward to the present day. I’m not yet able to get a house along a river, but I do have plenty of time to plan for the future. I live in California, and first I’m going to start with a quick summary of what I know about the State of California regulations on building along a river. Then I’m going to ask a few questions to get your opinions and understand what y’all think I ought to know, as well as to clarify any misconceptions I may have.<br><br>**California Regulations:**<br><br>- **National Flood Insurance Program:** Requires flood insurance & a set of rules for the building to minimize flood damage.<br>- **California Coastal Commission:** Regulates developments in the coastal zone with the intent of preserving the environment. Regulates construction 100 feet landward from the Ordinary High Water Mark.<br> - **Flood damage, and flood setbacks:** largely handled by the CFMP<br> - **Ordinary High Water Mark:** usually defined by the middle of the river. May be defined differently in some cases or under specific regulations<br> - **Setbacks and flood damage:** largely handled by the CFMP<br> - **Sediment transport:** prohibited from altering the natural hydrological cycle<br> - **Wetlands:** prohibited from damaging any wetlands (including riverine wetlands)<br>- **Central Valley Flood Protection Plan:** Regulates developments near “flood control channels” (defined as a river or a stream with levees)<br> - **Flood damage and flood setbacks:** setbacks at 50-100 feet (dependent on the river)<br>- **Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act:** prohibits any alterations to the environment that may harm endangered species<br>- **Various Local Regulations** (may vary depending on the city/ county/ municipality that the house is in)<br> - **Local permits to build**<br> - **Local permits to remove vegetation**<br> - **Local setbacks**<br> - **Disposal of grey/ black water**<br><br>**US Regulations:**<br><br>- **National Flood Insurance Program:** Requires flood insurance & a set of rules for the building to minimize flood damage<br>- **Endangered Species Act:** prohibits any alterations to the environment that may harm endangered species<br>- **Migratory Bird Treaty Act:** prohibits any alterations to the environment that may harm migratory birds<br>- **Clean Water Act:** Prohibits any actions which alter the physical, chemical, or biological properties of a river, including the alteration of sediment transport or riverine habitat<br>- **Various Local Regulations** (may vary depending on the city/ county/ municipality that the house is in)<br> - **Local permits to build**<br> - **Local permits to remove vegetation**<br> - **Local setbacks**<br> - **Disposal of grey/ black water**<br><br>That concludes my list of what I understand to be the relevant regulations. Obviously there may be some that I’m missing. I’d rather be safe than sorry, especially since riverine setbacks and flooding are my top concerns.<br><br>Now for the questions:<br><br>1. **Can riverine setbacks be largely avoided? What alternatives exist?**<br><br><br><br>What I know: building a house in a flood-prone area requires a certain amount of setbacks, or space between the building and the river where no construction or development can occur. I’m not sure how to avoid this or how to obtain special permission, but I’d largely prefer not to deal with this setback. Perhaps there’s an alternative like building on higher ground or on a pier?<br><br><br><br>What I’m looking for: ways to get around this setback, minimize the setbacks, or to legally obtain a variance or exception from the setback.<br><br><br><br>2. **What exceptions are there for building on top of a levee?**<br><br><br><br>What I know: building on top of a levee is largely prohibited & frowned upon, largely because it would hinder the levee’s ability to do its job.<br><br><br><br>What I’m looking for: ways to get around this setback, minimize the setbacks, or to legally obtain a variance or exception from the setback.<br><br><br><br>3. **What are the most common flooding issues with rivers? What damage is done to the home or riverine habitat? How do we prevent this damage?**<br><br><br><br>What I know: every river has a unique flood profile & flood damage & erosion potential. I’m not really sure what the most common damage is, though I suspect it’s damage to the foundation, the buildup of silt or debris, or water intrusion through the walls or floors.<br><br><br><br>What I’m looking for: advice on how to avoid or mitigate these issues, and how to prevent these issues from affecting riverine habitat. <br><br><br><br>And that’s my post for today! Got questions for you folks, just trying to get a good idea of what I can expect when I build my dream home along a river.