Community-Scale Spatial Mapping to Prioritize Green and Grey Infrastructure Locations to Increase Flood Resilience

Abstract

With increasing investment in infrastructure to address flooding, including green and grey solutions, there are challenges in selecting the type and location of infrastructure. This paper proposes a method to prioritize locations for stormwater infrastructure. Compared to prior work, it considers both green and grey infrastructure and enables detailed spatial analysis of a community. It uses quantitative measures and includes the multiple potential benefits of green versus grey infrastructure. The method is applied to the coastal county of Chatham County, GA, USA. Results show how the methodology is used to select green or grey infrastructure solutions and highlight locations that should be prioritized for infrastructure investment. Analyses accounting for uncertainties in future climate projections and population estimates are also conducted. The method includes local community characteristics, results in clear placement locations, and with decision-maker input, enables solutions to be adapted as stakeholder priorities evolve to increase community flood resilience.