Holistic Approaches to Flood Mitigation Planning and Modeling under Extreme Events and Climate Impacts

Municipalities and utilities are facing unprecedented challenges in planning for extreme precipitation and flooding events, which are occurring more frequently and unpredictably. A holistic approach to flood mitigation planning and modeling, including partnerships between stakeholders, is needed to balance competing management objectives while minimizing overall system vulnerabilities. To address this need, this project (1) developed a comprehensive summary of the state-of-the-practice with 15 utility case studies in North America and Europe for holistic flood management; (2) defined data sources and modeling tools that can enable a holistic approach to flood mitigation planning and modeling; (3) demonstrated the application of selected methodologies most relevant to the needs of an integrated planning framework for flood management at the community level; and (4) synthesized findings into a guidance document based on holistic management approaches to planning for, and mitigating, climate change impacts. Utilities of all sizes can utilize the project results to incorporate climate variability and uncertainty into their holistic flood management approaches. Published in 2023.