Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2018NY247B

Strengthening regional extension on flood resiliency

Institute: New York
Year Established: 2018 Start Date: 2018-03-01 End Date: 2019-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $11,295 Total Non-Federal Funds: $6,401

Principal Investigators: Todd Walter

Project Summary: Following major New York State storm events Irene, Lee and Sandy in 2011 and 2012, concern and attention paid to extreme precipitation and flooding seemed to be at an all-time high. Though 2016 brought New York State one of its worst droughts in history, 2017 was again a year of serious flooding, this time on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence Seaway as regional precipitation hit record highs. Researchers, as well as extension staff, are increasingly being asked to forecast the probability of such flooding events. In addition, citizens and decision makers are increasing faced with complex choices about land use, economic development, and infrastructure investment in the context of flooding and extreme precipitation. The main goal of this project is to compile and disseminate information on road and agricultural ditches, and culverts, and their importance in managing and mitigating flooding during extreme precipitation events, a well as their role as riparian buffers.