PIRE Application

2023 Program Announcement

Application deadline extended to November 20, 2022

NSF PIRE Coastal Flood Risk Reduction Research Travel Program Application for Field Research in the Netherlands 2023

The NSF PIRE Coastal Flood Risk Reduction Program is pleased to offer funding* for students at participating universities – Texas A&M University (Galveston and College Station campuses), Rice University, and Jackson State University or one of their Coastal Resilience Center partner institutions – to travel to the Netherlands from May 14 to 27, 2023 to study issues related to flood mitigation. This international opportunity will enable both undergraduate and graduate students to enhance and extend their current educational and research experience by participating in research activities and interacting with flood experts in the Netherlands. Students from diverse disciplines, including: engineering, planning, economics, hydrology, biology, architecture, and computational hydraulics, who are interested in flood risk reduction are encouraged to apply. This program provides a unique opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary research with applicants from diverse backgrounds and academic levels. Participants will develop an array of teamwork and leadership skills.

Applicants may choose one of two case studies to work on. For each case study, focus areas, research topics related to local issues, and research question examples have been identified. Applicants should submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) that fits within the focus areas and research topics suggested. Applicants can come up with their own research question or select one from the examples provided below. Further instructions are provided in the application form (Please push the button at the bottom of this page to download).

Descriptions for each of the two case study areas are provided below.
Please read the descriptions thoroughly before filling out an application.

Applicants should submit their completed application packet by November 13, 2022 to pire@tamug.edu

*Funding covers one round-trip flight and accommodation, meals, and transportation in the Netherlands. The schedule is non-negotiable; funded participants will travel together..

2023 PIRE Case study areas: Focus areas and research topics

Pire 2023 Map

Case Study #1: Lake IJssel Area

Lake IJssel (in Dutch: IJsselmeer) is a former saltwater estuary turned into a dammed freshwater system in the early 20^th Century. The IJsselmeer region is a prime example of Dutch water management and brings great value to the region with its natural environment and cultural history. Not only have the IJsselmeer Closure Dam (Afsluitdijk) and the Houtrib Dam (Houtribdijk) protected people from storm surge and flooding; the dams also enabled land to be reclaimed for agricultural and residential use. This artificially created freshwater reservoir has been a major water source serving agricultural, industrial and recreational activities for a large part of the Netherlands.

Currently, the area faces multiple challenges due to periods of higher river discharge combined with sea level rise. The IJsselmeer Closure Dam needs to be fortified to meet the future safety demands, and there is a need for new strategies for water detention and retention along the IJssel River and the shores of the IJssel Lake. Along the IJssel River, multiple Room for the River (https://www.dutchwatersector.com/room-for-the-river) projects have been implemented and the City of Kampen made residents participate in urban flood protection operation. Efforts have been made to incorporate Building with Nature (https://www.wur.nl/en/Dossiers/file/Building-with-Nature-2.htm) concepts in flood risk reduction strategies in several locations in the system. For example, Houtrib Dam was not only strengthened with rubble, but also with a wide sand beach to provide the lake with natural shores as well as flood safety. The Markerwadden (an artificial archipelago) was built by means of a so-called “mud-motor” (https://www.tudelft.nl/en/ceg/research/stories-of-science/the-wadden-mud-motor-project-making-nature-do-the-work/) to secure biodiversity and reduce turbidity in the lake. Strengthening plans for the Markermeer Dikes along the western lakeshore were faced with fierce local resistance, but the opposition was subsequently turned into strong and innovative public-private collaboration initiatives. Studying this area will provide a better understanding of existing flood-resilient strategies, constraints, and opportunities to search for innovative strategies to cope with future condition changes.

Focus areas	Examples of local issues and topics
1. Ramspol Inflatable Rubber Storm Surge Barrier	- Barrier design and construction - Barrier closing regimes - Multifunctional use strategies - Long-term maintenance strategies - Long-term strengthening and adaptation strategies - Multipurpose flood defenses - Compound flooding
2. City of Kampen and IJssel River	- Household level flood proofing initiatives - Public participation in flood mitigation measures - Flood resilient urban streetscape and neighborhood design - Flooding caused by the coincidence of precipitation, storm surge and/or riverine flooding (compound flooding) - Flood resilient building codes and regulations - Adaptive flood mitigation - Room for the River - Multipurpose flood defenses - Land use plan/planning policies for flood risk reduction - Social capital and local governance for flood mitigation - Social vulnerability in flood mitigation
3 Houtrib Dam (Houtribdijk) and Closure Dam (Afsluitdijk)	- Adaptive and future proof dike strengthening - Fresh water supply - Integrated flood risk management and water level management - Building with Nature: sandy shores - Pumping and dredging regimes - Multifunctional flood defenses - Ecosystem effects (e.g., fish migration)
4. Markerwadden	- Building with Nature: mud-motor - Turbidity - Biodiversity - Multifunctional land use

Here are some examples of research questions for the Case Study #1 – Lake IJssel Area:

What are planning/management factors of resilient communities?
What are the differences and commonalities between flood-resilient communities in the Netherlands and flood-prone communities in the US?
How does the difference between the Dutch and the US social political system affect flood mitigation strategies?
What kinds of polices are implemented to protect socially vulnerable population from flood damage in the Netherlands and how can they be applied in the US?
What kinds of stakeholders have been involved in the decision-making process for building flood-resilient communities and what were their roles?
What are the coordination and response provision of a community’s plans with regard to vulnerability to floods and how effective are they?
How does the built environment and design of neighborhoods affect flooding?
What types of buildings would be resilient to floods?
What is a flood resilient building code in the Netherlands and how can this be applied in the US?
What kinds of policies are implemented to protect the historic value of the City of Kampen and how can they be applied in Galveston historic downtown?
How has the Room for the River program affected the vicinity environmentally?
How can Room for the River strategies be implemented in Texas?
How can existing flood resilience plans be more adaptive to climate change?
How is flood infrastructure financed and what are the main financial instruments used to finance both the new as well as upgrade existing projects?
What types of economic models are used to evaluate effectiveness of proposed alternatives and how are costs and benefits calculated?
How do Dutch and US flood insurance schemes differ and what are private-sector adaptation responses in the Netherlands and Texas?
How do risk aversion and externalities play into provision of public flood control infrastructure?
How do integrated ecological planning and engineering solutions for flood mitigation differ in the Netherlands and Texas?
What flood protection alternatives are currently utilized in the Netherlands and how can they be defined, characterized, and visualized?
How can the surge barrier be used for multifunctional purposes (e.g., to add recreational or ecological function)?
What are the most important factors underlying sustainable dike strengthening and maintenance?
How do dike strengthening strategies incorporate sea level rise?
What are the consequences of climate change or extreme weather on the area; how do they influence the various infrastructure networks present in that area?
(How) Could a mud motor be implemented along the bay shorelines of Galveston Island or Bolivar Peninsula to enhance the environment?

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Case Study #2: North Sea Coast

The Dutch North Sea coast consists mainly of straight sandy beaches and various large-scale tidal inlets. Most parts of the coast have dunes that protect the low-lying hinterland (often below sea level) from flooding. Sea dikes and storm surge barriers protect the coastal area in places where dunes are lacking. Coastal protection measures are not only intended to provide safety, but also link up with ecological, economic and spatial planning ambitions wherever possible.

Dutch national flood risk management policies have aimed at meeting changing future conditions with integrated and sustainable strategies. In 1990, the national government declared that the position of the coastline of 1990 must be maintained in the next century by dynamic coastal management, to secure flood safety and further economic development in the coastal areas. The Sand Motor, the iconic project that was inspired by this notion, is a mega beach nourishment made up of 21 million cubic meters of sand. It was installed in 2011 and designed to protect the coast for more than 20 years by means of Building with Nature, while providing recreational areas, new ecosystems and economic opportunities. Other multifunctional flood defense projects along the coast include the dike-in-boulevard at Scheveningen, the garage-in-dune at Katwijk and the dike-in-dune at Noordwijk. Incorporating urban spatial planning projects into flood risk management has resulted in innovative and integrated solutions.

Changing physical and social conditions now require and inspire new initiatives. Coastal cities such as Scheveningen and Rotterdam have to respond to multiple challenges like sea level rise, compound flooding and increasing urban development and population growth. The Maeslant storm surge barrier in Rotterdam faces increasing water levels from both river and sea. Engineers, planners, ecologists, policymakers and other experts collaborate in challenging explorations such as building a string of barrier islands to protect the coast and re-designing the western part of the Netherlands for managed retreat.

Focus areas	Examples of local issues and topics
1. Maeslant storm surge barrier	- Long-term strengthening and maintenance strategies - Long-term adaptation strategies - Sea level rise and increasing river discharge - Barrier closing regimes - Dredging
2. Sand Motor	- Ecosystem and ecology development - Multifunctional use strategies - Saltwater intrusion via groundwater - Nature based engineering solutions - Morphological change - Dune development - Local stakeholder inclusion - Environmental and social-political issues
3. Scheveningen	- Urban development/land use plan incorporated into flood risk reduction - Dike strengthening - Dike in boulevard constructions - Multifunctional use - Flood protection for historic preservation
4. Katwijk	- Land use plan for flood risk reduction - Dike in dune constructions - Multipurpose flood defenses - Combining landscape design and hydraulic design
5. Rotterdam	- Tidal river flooding - Vulnerable infrastructure protection - Building with sediment: Tidal river parks - Saltwater intrusion

Here are some examples of research questions for the Case Study #2 – North Sea Coast:

What are the major differences between Galveston and Scheveningen in flood resilient development strategies and what are the pros and cons implementing them?
How does provision of flood protective infrastructure affect private-sector decisions to self-insure and self-protection?
How have adaptive capacity, environmental, and institutional factors contributed to disaster resilience of coastal towns?
How can coastal flood protection be designed for multifunctional purposes (e.g.; add recreational, urban and/or ecological functions)?
How do sediment deposition patterns and volumes differ between the Dutch North Sea Coast and the Texas Gulf of Mexico Coast?
How do coastal flood resilience strategies incorporate sea level rise?
How do pristine and engineered vegetated dunes differ between the Netherlands and the upper Texas coast; how are they being used in coastal protection schemes?
(How) does Coastal Engineering with Nature in general and/or vegetated dunes specifically, differ between The Netherlands and Texas?
How are Natural and Nature-Based Features (NNBF) in general and/or vegetated dunes specifically incorporated in coastal planning and management?
How are NNBF and engineered dunes resilient to erosive forces, overtopping and overflow during severe storms?
How can NNBF best be implemented in numerical modeling approaches intended to simulate coastal geomorphology changes?
(How) Could a Sand Motor be implemented along the Texas coast?
What flood protection alternatives are currently utilized in the Netherlands and how can they be defined, characterized, and visualized?
How can multiple urban flood mitigation techniques work together to effectively reduce flood losses over time?
What are the implications of coastal inlets for urban flood protection planning efforts?
Can natural inlet fluctuations (spatial and temporal changes of location and level of opening) and commercial use of natural coastal inlets coexist? How do the Netherlands and Texas approach this issue?
How is flood infrastructure financed and what are the main financial instruments used to finance both the new as well as upgrade existing projects?
What tools are used to evaluate the viability of flood control projects and what are they based on?
What adaptive strategies are adopted in flood-resilient coastal towns to cope with their growing population?
How do the Netherlands and Texas differ in dredging and dredged material placement methods and practices?
How do sediment deposition patterns and volumes differ between the Dutch North Sea Coast and the Texas Gulf of Mexico Coast?
How do coastal flood resilience strategies incorporate sea level rise?

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