Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2017ME324B

Improved delineation and analysis of Flood Attenuation in Maine’s watersheds: Natural Infrastructure support of state of Maine’s Clean Water Initiative (Chapter 589)

Institute: Maine
Year Established: 2017 Start Date: 2017-03-01 End Date: 2018-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $33,258 Total Non-Federal Funds: $67,081

Principal Investigators: Shaleen Jain, David Courtemanch, Daniel Coker

Project Summary: The 2014 enactment into law of Chapter 589 – “General Fund Bond Issue to Ensure Clean Water and Safe Communities” and passage of the general fund bond affords increased investments towards natural and built infrastructure, while seeking to improve Maine’s freshwaters through resource protection (quantity and quality), hazard mitigation (flood risk), and ecosystem integrity (natural capital and services in river corridors, and linked stretches of riparian zones and floodplains). The proposed research takes steps towards developing methods and case studies to understand the potential for natural infrastructure to support flood attenuation, especially in locations with the potential for significant socio-economic and/or environmental benefits . A University of Maine and Nature Conservancy (TNC) partnership will extend ongoing work on this topic at TNC, with a goal to provide decision support tools. Given the one-year duration of the project, we limit focus to the flood attenuation service provided by natural infrastructure. The project research team will work closely with current TNC partners, as well as involve active partnerships with Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.