NORFOLK, Va. — NASA's Disasters Program and Old Dominion University are partnering to develop cutting-edge flood prediction technology designed to help Hampton Roads municipalities better prepare for rising water levels and increasingly intense storms.
ODU is leading the effort alongside NASA, several other universities, and local cities, using satellite data and advanced modeling to predict where flooding will hit hardest across the region.
Dr. George McLeod, ODU's director of geospatial science, education and analytics, is heading the project through the university's mapping and data center.
"The intent of the project is to take massive data and tools, and some flood modeling and some social data about our region," McLeod said.
The team is building what they call a "geo-visualization hub" — a user-friendly dashboard that city leaders can use to see flood risks in real time. The tool combines satellite data with information about which neighborhoods face the greatest risk.
"That flood model and target are most vulnerable populations and really hone in on where are the areas where the flood waters are going to intersect either critical infrastructure or these ultra vulnerable susceptible populations that really don't have much ability to help themselves," McLeod said.
The project covers Hampton, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach, as well as critical facilities like Norfolk Naval Station. The goal is to help leaders make better decisions about where to direct funding for flood protection.
"That's the kind of information we need to turn over to our decision-makers in the region to focus on. How do we adapt?" McLeod said.
NASA selected Hampton Roads because its flooding challenges could serve as a model for coastal cities across the country.
"ODU wants to do research that improves life in Hampton Roads. We're very proud of our international national research but ODU more than I think many universities is heavily ingrained in the community invested in regional and local projects," McLeod said.
The research team is heading into the second year of the three-year project and expects to have the flood prediction dashboard ready for local governments to use within the next year.
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