{"id":6778,"date":"2024-10-04T14:23:27","date_gmt":"2024-10-04T14:23:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=6778"},"modified":"2025-03-24T13:44:54","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T13:44:54","slug":"ucf-researcher-harnesses-machine-learning-to-combat-rising-flood-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/ucf-researcher-harnesses-machine-learning-to-combat-rising-flood-risks\/","title":{"rendered":"UCF Researcher Harnesses Machine Learning to Combat Rising Flood Risks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">University of Central Florida&#8217;s Thomas Wahl employs machine learning advancements to predict and mitigate coastal flooding, offering hope and practical solutions for vulnerable communities worldwide.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0dfbf163 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px;\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>As coastal regions face heightened risks due to rising sea levels and increasing storm severity, a University of Central Florida researcher is pioneering efforts to better prepare these communities against devastating floods. Thomas Wahl, an associate professor in UCF&#8217;s Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, is at the forefront of this initiative through his Coastal Risks &amp; Engineering (CoRE) lab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wahl&#8217;s lab utilizes machine learning techniques to assess and predict flood risks, providing crucial data for developing sustainable and resilient adaptation strategies. The lab focuses on storm surges, particularly examining the statistical likelihood of events such as one-in-a-hundred-year surges in vulnerable areas, including Tampa, Cedar Key and New Jersey. By simulating both observed and hypothetical flooding scenarios, Wahl\u2019s team enhances our understanding of how to protect these regions more effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wahl&#8217;s innovative approach leverages machine learning to identify complex interactions between wind, pressure and water levels. This technique complements traditional hydrodynamic models, which are known for their computational intensity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTen to 20 years ago, people would\u2019ve said it is impossible to run a global storm surge model to reconstruct storm surge globally for 50 years with a high-fidelity process-based model that actually captures the physics,\u201d Wahl said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/studying-the-surge\/\" title=\"\">news release<\/a>. \u201cNow, there are different versions of those models out there that run at the global scale on supercomputers.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The lab&#8217;s groundbreaking efforts are fueled by previous studies, including collaborations with NASA to analyze storm surge behavior over the past century. By examining data from NASA satellites and understanding the intricate relationships between wind, pressure and resulting storm surges, Wahl\u2019s team has set the stage for further advancements in flood prediction and management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This research has significant implications for regions worldwide. Wahl is currently working with the Department of Defense to study flooding risks at military installations across the globe, and a new project with NASA aims to integrate additional satellite data into their models. These studies also consider the impacts of large-scale climate variations like El Nino and La Nina on storm surge and flood risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The practical applications of Wahl\u2019s research are already benefiting communities. For instance, data and methodologies from New Jersey&#8217;s flood studies are being applied to Florida&#8217;s flood-prone areas, such as Jacksonville. Through the $22 million Mississippi River Delta Initiative, Wahl\u2019s team is exploring tools that could be adapted to help Florida&#8217;s vulnerable regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wahl emphasizes the importance of localized solutions and resource availability when addressing flood risks. From engineering wetland and oyster reefs to urban investments in water-pumping systems, the range of strategies varies significantly based on regional characteristics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt really depends on what type of event you are preparing for and what economic resources you have at your disposal to implement those solutions,\u201d Wahl added. \u201cWe have a lot from gray to green to hybrid infrastructure that can be done, but it\u2019s really very localized.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Wahl continues to push the boundaries of flood modeling, advancements in technology are proving crucial. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s the same with the machine learning. I think it\u2019s really the computational resources that have improved and opened doors that we didn\u2019t think would open so quickly,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wahl\u2019s pioneering research offers hope, showcasing how innovative technology and scientific dedication can transform our ability to safeguard coastal communities against the ever-growing threat of flooding.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As coastal regions face heightened risks due to rising sea levels and increasing storm severity, a University of Central Florida researcher is pioneering efforts to better prepare these communities against devastating floods. Thomas Wahl, an associate professor in UCF&#8217;s Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, is at the forefront of this initiative through his [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6778","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ai","category-climate-and-environment"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"As coastal regions face heightened risks due to rising sea levels and increasing storm severity, a University of Central Florida researcher is pioneering efforts to better prepare these communities against devastating floods. Thomas Wahl, an associate professor in UCF&#8217;s Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, is at the forefront of this initiative through his&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6778"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6778\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6844,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6778\/revisions\/6844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}