Waterway Infrastructure Risk and Resiliency

Weston & Sampson, partnered with Woods Hole Group, was selected to create a Coastal Urban Risk Assessment and Resiliency Plan.

Lee County faces significant risks from coastal flooding. Weston & Sampson will conduct a risk assessment that meets the standards and requirements of the Resilient Florida Grant Program, the Statewide Flood and Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and Resilience Plan under Section 380.093 F.S., and in compliance with a CDBG-MIT grant.

Weston & Sampson developed an asset inventory of over 125,000 assets as part of the risk assessment. This ArcGIS-based inventory was created through extensive data collection from 192 layers sourced from state, local, county, and community datasets. The project team, county officials, and stakeholders reviewed the data to eliminate duplicates and privately owned assets. The vetted inventory, accessed via an ArcGIS online platform, helped officials identify critical assets and make necessary modifications. The final dataset includes unique identifiers, required fields from Florida regulations, and a confidentiality field for public access.

The final inventory will help create a coastal flood risk model assessing sea-level rise, tidal flooding, coastal storm impacts, and socioeconomic factors. It will identify vulnerable assets needing immediate attention. The risk assessment findings will lead to an actionable resiliency plan, guiding the county in short-term risk management and funding opportunities, while also outlining future projects to enhance resilience.