Our Coast, Our Delta: 海角社区 Researchers Help Homeowners Take Action to Prevent Flooding
May 30, 2023
Protecting coastal residents and homeowners from rising sea-levels and storms is a growing challenge all around the world, and especially in places like Louisiana. At this year鈥檚 State of the Coast conference in New Orleans on May 31-June 2, 海角社区 researchers will talk about their ongoing work to decrease flood risks.
Md Adilur Rahim
Carol Friedland, director of 海角社区 AgCenter鈥檚 LaHouse and associate professor in the 海角社区 AgCenter, and Robert Rohli, professor of oceanography and coastal sciences in the 海角社区 College of the Coast & Environment, will be joined by Md Adilur Rahim, an 海角社区 graduate student from Bangladesh, for a Thursday session called 鈥淔lood Risk Management Through Actionable Information for Gulf Coast Homeowners鈥� (1:30-3 p.m. in room 207). They will discuss FloodSafeHome, a digital tool that provides expected incentives and savings from installing freeboard, which is added height between a home鈥檚 first floor and base flood elevation.
By providing information on construction costs, anticipated insurance savings as well as avoided flood damage, FloodSafeHome informs homeowners and building professionals on the financial benefits of mitigating flood risk. While the tool is in beta testing in three Louisiana parishes, it is currently being expanded to 20 coastal parishes to soon become a statewide resource to help homeowners make informed decisions.
鈥淭his research will directly benefit Louisiana鈥檚 coastal communities as it aims to reduce damage and costs for homeowners by giving them better information.鈥�
Md Adilur Rahim, 海角社区 graduate student
鈥淭his research will directly benefit Louisiana鈥檚 coastal communities as it aims to reduce damage and costs for homeowners by giving them better information,鈥� Rahim said. 鈥淏y providing tailored savings and expected costs, people are able to weigh the benefits of freeboard to then make whichever decision is best for their families.鈥�
Rahim will present his work on quantifying the homeowner鈥檚 flood risk reduction through natural and nature-based features, associated with 海角社区鈥檚 Army-supported DEEDS project to secure coastal terrain. Central to his research is the integration of ecosystem services, a paradigm-shifting approach to flood risk mitigation. His research quantifies homeowners鈥� expected reduction in flood risk by working with nature and harnessing the protective capacities of naturally occurring processes. As such, his research presents an innovative pathway toward greater resilience.
After finishing his PhD at 海角社区, Rahim plans to continue doing research on risk assessments of natural hazards to help coastal communities become more resilient. At State of the Coast, he will also present on 鈥淒isaster Recovery and Planning for Social Resilience鈥� (Thursday, June 1, 3:30-5 p.m. in room 210).
- Learn More about 海角社区鈥檚 work to protect residents from flooding through 海角社区 AgCenter鈥檚 LaHouse.
- Learn More about DEEDS and 海角社区鈥檚 ongoing work with communities to develop nature-based solutions.