Challenge
Many remote Alaska villages are at risk from flooding and major storms. However, they’ve had no way to predict and assess these threats; they need to be able to define and understand flood risks in order to effectively prepare for them.
Solution
Working with the state, a NOAA Digital Coast Fellow gathered information on past flood events and determined the risk coastal flooding poses to existing infrastructure for two communities, Golovin and Hooper Bay. He produced storm histories, an online flood risk visualization tool, and maps that rate the severity of flood risks. These towns now have complete storm histories that help them better prepare for, and respond to, coastal storms. Weather forecasters are using the fellow’s maps to communicate flood risks to the community, and a publication will aid planners and hazard assessors in performing their own risk analyses.
This effort was so successful, it’s being applied in 44 additional Alaska Native communities.
Additional Resources
Alaska Coastal Community Flood Assessments
Digital Coast Fellowship Program
