This project uses more than 25 years of USACE and partner coastal remote sensing data to evaluate the long-term performance of nature-based solutions (NBS) implemented across the country. By integrating existing geospatial tools with cloud-based analysis, the team will develop standardized performance metrics that support design, monitoring, and adaptive management of coastal NBS across the USACE Civil Works mission.
While NBS continue to gain traction across Civil Works programs, USACE lacks robust, quantitative performance metrics to evaluate their long-term success. Without these metrics, there is uncertainty about how well these features perform over time, particularly in relation to survivability, failure mechanisms, and when adaptive management is necessary.
This project responds to Statement of Need 2136 – Nature-Based Solutions Performance Metrics, which calls for the documentation and dissemination of long-term performance data for NBS projects. By filling this gap, the research supports Civil Works policy directives and strengthens evidence-based implementation of NBS.
Research Approach
Expected Outcomes
By leveraging remote sensing data already collected across the enterprise, this project will deliver cost-effective methods for assessing NBS functionality over time. The resulting metrics will guide better project design, reduce uncertainty, and support long-term sustainability of NBS in the Civil Works mission. Practitioners will gain tools and confidence to monitor, adapt, and justify the use of NBS as viable engineering solutions.
Partnerships & Collaboration
This cross-lab initiative is led by ERDC’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, with support from the Environmental Laboratory. The project team will collaborate closely with USACE Mobile District and other District partners to select and analyze case studies, ensuring products are responsive to real-world needs. Partnerships also include data coordination with NOAA, USGS, and other federal agencies.
Engineering With Nature® is the intentional alignment of natural and engineering processes to efficiently and effectively deliver economic, ecological, and social benefits through collaboration.