Scott L. Spurgeon, Justin L. Shawler, Kathryn J. Smith, Loderay I.M. Bracero Marrero, and Samuel S. Jackson

While traditional field-based methods are typically used to assess project performance of nature-based solutions (NBS), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ National Coastal Mapping Program (NCMP) has regularly collected coastal imagery and Lidar datasets, resulting in a wealth of information proven...

Andrew McQueen, Alan J. Kennedy, Burton Suedel, Mark Ballentine, Michael J. Bortner, Adam Friedman, Jeffrey P. Youngblood, Pablo Zavattieri, Narayanan Neithalath, Daniel Wangpraseurt, Sarah Thorne, Jonna Boyda, Lauren May, Alyssa Calomeni-Eck, and Lucy Slattery

Natural and engineered waterborne infrastructure are critical resources necessary for coastal protection, economic security, and ecosystem services; however, increasing pressures from natural hazard events are compromising the performance and resilience of these systems. Addressing these challeng...

Amanda Tritinger, Sydney Crisanti, Steven P. Bailey, Jacob F. Berkowitz, Elizabeth S. Godsey, Burton C. Suedel, and Jeffrey K. King

Nature-based solutions (NbS) offer an innovative approach to reducing risks from natural hazards, aligning ecological processes with engineering objectives. However, successfully scaling NbS from site-specific interventions to systems-level applications remains a challenge. This paper examines an...

Ben Blachly, Susana Ferreira, Brook D. Herman, Grace Anne Ingham, Craig E. Landry, and Anna J. Perry

The purpose of this report is to recommend a framework for developing a comprehensive database of US Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) natural infrastructure (NI) projects. Natural infrastructure is defined as an area or system that is naturally occurring, naturalized, or constructed to mimic natu...

Ellis Kalaidjian, Margaret Kurth, and Matthew Smith

This technical note explores the restoration of Lightning Point, an award-winning natural infrastructure project led by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in coastal Alabama. The story of Lightning Point provides an exemplar case study of successful coordination of cross-sector partnerships and the use...

Alan James Kennedy, Andrew D. McQueen, Burton C. Suedel, Mark L. Ballentine, Sarah Thorne, Delta C. Newman, Jonna A. Boyda, Lauren R. May, Alyssa J. Calomeni-Eck, David W. Moore, Lucy K. Slattery, Daniel Wangpraseurt, Michael J. Bortner, Adam Friedman, Jeffrey P. Youngblood, Pablo Zavattieri, and Narayanan Neithalath

Natural infrastructure—crucial for coastal resilience, flood risk management, and ecosystem services—confronts escalating challenges from rising seas, erosion, storms, and human impacts. Innovative approaches are needed to enhance infrastructure functionality and broaden social, economic, and env...