FLOOD ANALYSIS IN THE PENSACOLA BASIN, FLORIDA

Flooding can impact a community's social, cultural, environmental, and economic resources; therefore, generating a sound, science-based, long-term decision to improve resiliency is critical for future prosperity and growth. Developing watershed management plans is essential in assisting local communities in reducing flood insurance costs through mitigation and resiliency efforts. This effort, specifically for this report, will focus on the Pensacola Watershed Basin and the development procedures to assess the risks of flooding and storm surges. Utilizing readily available data on topography, ground surface water elevations, tidal data for coastal communities, open space, and rainfall, a framework was developed to facilitate flood risk assessments under various conditions. Such knowledge allows communities to properly prepare and prevent major damages during times of high flooding, such as tropical storms and hurricanes.