Data Integration and Model Development to Mitigate Urban Flooding Hazards Linked to Sea Level Rise

University Of California-Irvine, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

The goal of this project is to create new, state-of-the-art, physics-based models that exploit the modern datasets of urban areas commonly stored in Graphical Information Systems (GIS). Sea levels naturally rise and fall each day with the tides and are affected by other factors such as storms. But if mean sea levels are higher overall due to global warming, then the highest high tides will be higher than ever before. Along the Southern California coastline, which is the focus of this study, there are many urbanized harbor areas where the ground height is near sea level. To protect these areas from flooding by high tides and waves, infrastructure including sea walls (also known as bulkheads) and pump stations are often used. And today coastal communities are beginning to ask what else should be done to provide protection for the future. Options to consider include structural measures such as stronger coastal defenses as well as non-structural measures such as policy changes that reduce the value of assets in flood-prone areas. To evaluate these options and enable site-specific flood risk management, flooding simulations are needed and the aim of this project is to create new simulation models that are uniquely tailored to urbanized coastal landscapes. Basic research will be carried out to make physics-based models run more efficiently, to couple flood inundation models with storm drain models that account for subsurface pipe flows, and to account for the impact of waves on coastal flooding. In addition, the project will strive to implement these models within a GIS framework to support infrastructure management. The PIs will work closely with the City of Newport Beach to ensure that model output delivers the type of information useful for decision making and to educate decision-makers about correct uses and interpretations of model generated data. They will also hold workshops for representatives of other coastal communities in Southern California to disseminate the technological advances in a targeted way and broaden the impact of the work. There is growing awareness of global climate change in California, and public officials are increasingly willing to consider pragmatic steps to address adverse impacts. However, leadership is needed for coastal communities to take cost-effective action. The PIs aim to provide this leadership, using Newport Beach as a case study to show how model generated flood data can be integrated into GIS to support flood risk management. Local governments have invested considerable resources in GIS staff and data, so the models will provide added value to this investment. This project will also advance the science of urban flood inundation modeling, answering questions about the optimal use of new data types, the necessary level of coupling between surface, subsurface and wave models, and strategies for efficient modeling. These advances stand to improve urban flood risk management technology globally. Lastly, this project will include efforts to develop flood modeling skills among under-represented groups of undergraduate engineering students and to recruit talented students for graduate study at UC Irvine.