Nature-Based Solutions for Flood Risk Reduction and Community Resilience in the Upper Mississippi River Basin
Climate risks, including floods and heatwaves, impact communities in the Upper Mississippi River Basin, but gaps in data, policy, and collaboration in the region can hinder effective climate adaptation. Researchers supported by this Midwest CASC project will work with communities to identify flood-vulnerable areas, evaluate various nature-based solutions, and develop a climate action plan, providing tools and data to guide community resilience through resource management, funding, and policy.
Project Summary
In the Midwest, floods, droughts, and heatwaves are expected to worsen. Nature-based solutions, which focus on the power of natural lands and ecosystem services to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change, can support climate adaptation. However, gaps in data, measurement, knowledge, policy, and collaboration have hindered their effective implementation.
This project will explore the value of community-selected nature-based solutions for reducing current and future flood risks in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. The research team will work closely with nonprofits, land managers, and community members to 1) identify flood risk and vulnerability hotspots across the region, 2) quantify the benefits of different nature-based adaptation solutions, and 3) collaborate with at-risk communities, as well as state and local natural resource managers, to create or update a climate action plan aimed at strengthening community resilience in a Minnesota community.
Overall, this study will model the benefits of nature-based solutions, identify vulnerable areas, and engage directly with the Minnesota community to ensure the project meets local needs. Expected outcomes include open-access data, a flood risk index, and an interactive online decision-support tool.
- Source: USGS Sciencebase (id: 6674658ad34e68d163086ba7)
Climate risks, including floods and heatwaves, impact communities in the Upper Mississippi River Basin, but gaps in data, policy, and collaboration in the region can hinder effective climate adaptation. Researchers supported by this Midwest CASC project will work with communities to identify flood-vulnerable areas, evaluate various nature-based solutions, and develop a climate action plan, providing tools and data to guide community resilience through resource management, funding, and policy.
Project Summary
In the Midwest, floods, droughts, and heatwaves are expected to worsen. Nature-based solutions, which focus on the power of natural lands and ecosystem services to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change, can support climate adaptation. However, gaps in data, measurement, knowledge, policy, and collaboration have hindered their effective implementation.
This project will explore the value of community-selected nature-based solutions for reducing current and future flood risks in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. The research team will work closely with nonprofits, land managers, and community members to 1) identify flood risk and vulnerability hotspots across the region, 2) quantify the benefits of different nature-based adaptation solutions, and 3) collaborate with at-risk communities, as well as state and local natural resource managers, to create or update a climate action plan aimed at strengthening community resilience in a Minnesota community.
Overall, this study will model the benefits of nature-based solutions, identify vulnerable areas, and engage directly with the Minnesota community to ensure the project meets local needs. Expected outcomes include open-access data, a flood risk index, and an interactive online decision-support tool.
- Source: USGS Sciencebase (id: 6674658ad34e68d163086ba7)