Florida Flood Hub for Applied Research and Innovation

Scientific and Technical Workgroups

Workgroups are central to the success of the Flood Hub. We assemble these teams of subject matter experts to address specific flood-related issues, identify information needs, fill data gaps, refine existing models, and advance new models to support statewide resilience. Details about the Flood Hub’s workgroups can be found below. As our efforts evolve, we’ll convene additional scientific and technical groups, continuing to help improve flood forecasting in Florida.

Sea Level Rise Workgroup

Sea level rise is one of Florida’s most pressing environmental concerns. From Pensacola to Jacksonville, some 15 million people inhabit Florida’s low-lying coastal areas, where modest changes in sea level can have profound consequences for communities. High tide flooding events, coastal erosion, and saltwater intrusion — all of which are exacerbated by rising sea levels — can put homes, businesses, critical infrastructure, and amenities at risk. The Flood Hub’s workgroup on sea level rise evaluates global, national, and state-level data to provide projections of changing sea levels that underpin vulnerability assessments and risk analyses. These efforts will guide more effective policies, capital improvement projects, and other resilience-related investments and interventions.  

Rainfall Workgroup

It’s sometimes said: Where it rains, it can flood. Florida’s statewide rainfall average is nearly 54 inches per year, but changing precipitation patterns suggest that past conditions are not reliable indicators of future conditions. Extreme rainfall events, which can quickly overwhelm drainage systems, reveal an urgent need to design and implement water resource projects that reduce the likelihood of rain-induced flooding. The Flood Hub’s workgroup on rainfall will estimate changes to the depth, duration, and frequency of extreme rainfall events. The goal is to improve short-term forecasts and longer-term projections, while guiding comprehensive water management efforts throughout the state.