Project co-development with intended users is increasingly common in flood risk modeling. This presentation details the end-user engagement approach informing an ongoing compound flood modeling project in Mobile Bay, Alabama. The project aims to develop coupled hydrodynamic and hydrologic models and evaluate the effectiveness of resilience strategies, particularly Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), in reducing compound flooding and improving overall watershed resilience. An important project outcome is to deliver  actionable guidance that coastal decision-makers can use in project implementation, policy development, and watershed management planning. 

A collaborative engagement process is central to ensuring project outputs align with practical needs. The project team has held virtual meetings, in-person workshops and one-on-one meetings with local decision-makers. The first workshop was designed to present the project’s goals and objectives and gathered  input on local planning priorities. Participants provided feedback on the e types of outputs and products most beneficial for management and planning. The project team also gathered information about flood hotspots and ideal locations to implement NBS. During the second workshop, the project team collected detailed feedback on the performance of preliminary compound flood models and gathered input on appropriate success criteria for NBS projects. Ongoing virtual meetings provided opportunities  to share project updates and gather timely feedback to course-correct when  needed. This presentation will describe how engagement feedback has shaped the modeling effort to date, highlighting the critical role of end-users’ lived experience in shaping modeling efforts.

This presentation is part of the Cooperative Institute for Research on Hydrology (CIROH) project titled “Assessing Nature-Based Solutions to Mitigate Flood Impacts and Enhance Resilience.”