Floodplain Management
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Virginia Beach, VA to transform municipal golf course into stormwater mitigation hub
The City of Virginia Beach has developed a plan that explores using the approximately 121-acre, City-owned Bow Creek Golf Course for flood mitigation. The vision for the project is to convert the land use from a golf course to a multi-faceted facility that will provide significant stormwater storage to mitigate flooding and restore natural systems while still providing active and passive recreational opportunities.
Virginia Beach, VA
United States
Central Coast, NSW introduces a pair of interactive flood mapping tools for improved resilience
Central Coast created a flood extents map for every property near Tuggerah Lake with waterRIDE LITE. Users toggle through current, minor, moderate, major, and probable maximum flooding (PMF) options for color-coded map layers. A council-wide digital tool built with Esri displays flood precincts, PMF risk levels, and 1-in-100-year hazard classifications. Council officials complemented these new tools with online resources for flood mitigation and emergency planning.
Central Coast, NSW
Australia
Southland Regional Council, NZ uses web cameras and STIV technology for real-time flood data
Council teams struggled with evaluating river levels in areas made inaccessible by flooding. A network of web cameras gathers real-time footage of local rivers for analysis. Space-Time Image Velocimetry (STIV) gathered by cameras and drones measures river flows in cubic meters per second. Southland Regional Council's new approach to river flow measurement reduces the need for risky inspections during storms and improves flood alert timeliness.
Southland Regional Council, NZ
New Zealand
Lockyer Valley, QLD Flood Information Portal provides precise risk assessments for local properties
Council and state officials designed the first-in-Australia portal in response to five major floods in 12 years. Portal users start by entering lot numbers or addresses into the search bar. Search results show overhead views of selected properties along with maximum depth, velocity, and hazard. The portal produces a free email report with data on up to four markers per lot. Each report includes color-coded flood event maps as well as a hazard vulnerability classification.
Lockyer Valley, QLD
Australia
Devon County Council, GB publishes Invitation to Tender for smart gullies technology pilot
The selected vendor will integrate flood monitoring technology into street gullies at four locations. The county's Highways and Flood and Coastal Risk Management teams will adapt gully maintenance schedules based on pilot data. Smart gullies also provide real-time insights about flooding hotspots during storms. This 25-month trial is part of the Devon Resilience Innovation Project, which seeks cost-effective methods for preventing future floods.
Devon County Council, GB
United Kingdom
New York, NY partners with NYU and CUNY researchers on FloodNet sensor network pilot
The Mayor's Office of Climate Resiliency and universities co-designed a low-cost sensor for a unified flood detection network. Seven solar-powered units were split between Brooklyn's Gowanus neighborhood and the Jamaica Bay estuary. The sensors send data to the FloodNet dashboard for real-time monitoring of flood conditions. An interactive map shows color-coded flood depths from blue for none to magenta for major or more than 24 inches.
New York, NY
United States
Alexandria, VA tracks progress on flood mitigation projects with an interactive dashboard
The Flood Action Alexandria Projects Dashboard identifies active, completed, and future projects. Color-coded pins on an interactive map can be opened for project costs, timelines, funding sources, and descriptions. Dashboard users can filter by project type - combined sewer, large capacity, or spot improvement - or review a text list of all flood infrastructure projects. This tool improves transparency about Alexandria's responses to long-term flood susceptibility.
Alexandria, VA
United States
Tweed, NSW pursues Industry Central Land Swap for businesses impacted by repeated flooding
South Murwillumbah businesses faced record flooding in 2017 and again in 2022. The council used a state grant to purchase 14 hectares of elevated land. Alder Constructions outfitted ten lots with water, sewer, telecommunications, and other infrastructure. Businesses impacted by flooding swap existing land for Industry Central allotments with move-in starting in 2023. The council will block industrial development on abandoned land in perpetuity after businesses remove existing structures.
Tweed, NSW
Australia
Norfolk, VA collaborates with StormSensor on study of sea level impacts on drainage infrastructure
StormSensor installed its Scute sensor networks in neighborhoods with high flood risks. Data gathered from waterways and pipes are sent every five minutes to the Terrapin data dashboard. The platform's SURFR Index synthesizes real-time data with known risk factors for an estimate of future flood risks by census tract. City staffers anticipate future floods with critical depth alerts from Terrapin. Pilot data will also be incorporated into Norfolk's flood management policies.
Norfolk, VA
United States
Vancouver, BC seeks solutions to sea level rise in False Creek with Sea2City Design Challenge
Two international teams of design experts were selected for the one-year project. Each team is researching how to mitigate potential sea level rises of at least one meter in the inlet. Public design sessions and consultations with community stakeholders provide valuable input on proposed solutions. The challenge includes Indigenous perspective workshops addressing historic inequities in urban development. Sea2City Design Challenge proposals will shape the city's Climate Adaptation Plan.
Vancouver, BC
Canada
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ manages floodplain construction applications and hazards
In October, 2021, FEMA instituted what it calls “Risk Rating 2.0” which updates the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) risk rating methodology. GovPilot’s Flood Plain Application enables residents and contractors to quickly apply for construction permits and register hazards within floodplains so that municipal officials can generate instant reports for New Jersey and FEMA down to specific updates and the status of any parcel located within a given flood zone.
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
United States