Free webinar series: Improving awareness of coastal storm hazards, stormwater runoff, and risk reduction strategies
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EmailDecision makers and planners – check out these free webinars to gain information about how to better support your community when facing extreme storms and flooding.
In June 2017, the Saginaw Bay region faced a storm that caused major flooding to roads, homes, businesses and agriculture. A state of emergency was declared in Bay, Isabella and Midland counties. Extreme storms, like this June event, can also contribute to issues like erosion, runoff pollution, infrastructure instability and crop damage. Communities in the Saginaw Bay watershed are especially susceptible to these issues due to the area’s land-use patterns and topography.
Often, we focus on responding to these emergencies, yet it is equally important to invest in preparing before the storm. Prior to this particular storm, Michigan State University Extension, Michigan Sea Grant and other local Saginaw Bay organizations partnered to improve community resiliency, which in this instance refers to a community’s ability to adapt to and recover quickly from extreme storms. Funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Storms Program, decision-makers across the Saginaw Bay watershed’s 22 counties participated in a 2015 survey to explore views of extreme storms and their local impacts. The results of the surveys are summarized in this report along with outreach actions to improve community resiliency.
Using the survey results as a guide for resources needed, Michigan State University Extension and Michigan Sea Grant are hosting a series of three FREE webinars to support decision makers and planners in addressing and developing resiliency related to extreme storms and flooding in the Saginaw Bay region. Visit http://bit.ly/ResilientSaginawBay to register for the webinar series. These webinars will be recorded, but attending the live webinar is encouraged in order to address any questions directly with the experts.
All of the webinars will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Upcoming dates and topics include:
June 20: NOAA Digital Coast Partnership: Using data to support community resiliency
Description: Learn about the NOAA Digital Coast Partnership and how the available data and tools help communities address coastal issues.
June 27: Extreme Storms and Hazard Mitigation Strategies
Description: Explore different types of hazards, including extreme storms and flooding, and mitigation planning efforts that support community resilience.
July 11: National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System
Description: Find out more about the NFIP’s Community Rating System, where communities can reduce flood insurance premiums for local property owners by completing flood protection activities.
If you have any questions or accessibility needs, please contact Meaghan Gass (Email: gassmeag@msu.edu | Phone: 989-895-4026 ext. 5).
Michigan Sea Grant helps to foster economic growth and protect Michigan’s coastal, Great Lakes resources through education, research and outreach. A collaborative effort of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University and its MSU Extension, Michigan Sea Grant is part of the NOAA-National Sea Grant network of 33 university-based programs.
This webinar series was prepared by Michigan Sea Grant College Program under awards NA14OAR4170285 and NA140AR4170070 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce through the Regents of the University of Michigan. The environmental data, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations and related items of information are those of the author(s) and have not been formally disseminated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, or the Regents of the University of Michigan and should not be construed to represent any agency determination view or policy.
