The goal of this project is to increase community and individual action to reduce flooding risk as a result of knowledge gained from community dialogues regarding current and future flood risk and solutions.
Status: Active
Like many other frontline communities, South Mobile County is particularly vulnerable to flooding. Residents were significantly impacted by Hurricane Katrina and are still recovering the damage it left behind. Rainfall and coastal hazards, such as storm surge and sea-level rise, each represent individual flooding hazards to the county. However, these hazards can also interact to create compound flood risk which will act to exacerbate regular flooding events. In addition, flood risk is expected to worsen in the future as the county receives more frequent intense rainfall events and sea-level rise reduces stormwater drainage capacity.
To address current and future flood risk, we have taken the lessons learned from our Resilient East Biloxi effort to guide our methods of engagement, paying careful attention to the differences between the two communities regarding their needs and capacity. In order to effectively engage with the resident of South Mobile County, Mobile County and PLACE:SLR propose a series of community dialogues that will help raise awareness of current and future flood risk and identify strategies for reducing flood impacts in collaboration with residents. These dialogues will help us determine effective engagement strategies and serve as a springboard for future engagement with similar communities throughout the county.
In collaboration with the Gulf Health States Policy Center, Boat People SOS, and Forward Church, we will host two community dialogue sessions and one community action event, focusing on different topics:
- A session to understand experiences, perceptions, and challenges around flooding within the community, provide information on current and future flooding risk, and introduce potential solutions
- A session to identify and prioritize a list of actions the community would like to pursue based on what they learned at the previous meeting
- A community activity, decided upon by the community, to implement some sort of flood resilience action
Upcoming Community Events:
- Community Resilience Listening Session at Forward Church – Thursday, September 21. Click here to register!
- Community Resilience Listening Session at the Gulf Health States Policy Center – Friday September 22. Click here to register!
Community Partners
