The 2024 Coastal Inundation Community of Practice (CI CoP) Workshop, was held on November 12–13, at the University of Washington (Seattle, WA). The NOAA Office of Coastal Management, Sea Grant, and American Society of Adaptation Professionals organized the workshop, which was the first in-person meeting of the group. The Workshop brought together almost 100 professionals representing federal and state government agencies, regional agency and association staff, resource managers, researchers, consultants, engagement professionals and non-profit organizations to collaborate and share knowledge on addressing coastal inundation challenges. The event featured a variety of panels, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities, focusing on innovative tools, regional challenges, and community-driven resilience strategies.
Day 1 opened with introductory sessions outlining the objectives and structure of the CI CoP, followed by a panel, the “Local Perspectives Panel”, where practitioners shared regional challenges and success stories from Rhode Island, Florida, and Puerto Rico. Participants explored advancements in flooding research and inundation modeling through sessions like the “Flooding Across Timescales” panel and the “Inundation Innovation Café,” which highlighted tools such as Coastal Storm Modeling System, Federal Flood Standard Support tool, the Sea Level Change Information hub, sea level calculator, Coastal Inundation dashboard, hazard exposure tool, and high tide flooding outlooks. The live demonstration of these tools and products helped the workshop attendees get an upfront and closer look at them. Attendees were able to explore the tools and have their questions answered.
Day 2 focused on technical insights and community-based solutions. Lightning talks showcased progress in inundation modeling and technological innovations, while breakout discussions covered topics such as compound flooding, the intersection of art and science, and the NOAA Sea Level Calculator. Participants also engaged in small group conversations on community resilience strategies, including retreat and relocation efforts and pilot programs like Flood Ready Neighborhoods (FRN). The FRN is a work that was funded by the Adaptation Sciences (AdSci) research program in 2021. A session on building successful local and regional communities of practice featured case studies of established networks like the Washington Coastal Hazards Resilience Network (CHRN) and Washington State’s inter-agency Coastal Hazard Organizational Resilience Team (COHORT), efforts that were again supported by the AdSci program.
The workshop concluded with a discussion on future priorities for the CI CoP. By blending technical expertise with interactive collaboration, the event served as a platform for professionals to exchange ideas, learn from diverse perspectives, and advance strategies to enhance resilience against coastal inundation.
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For more information, contact Bhaskar Subramanian.