MnDOT designs stormwater management infrastructure based on historical rainfall data and traditional design assumptions, including rainfall intensity and distribution, rainfall event duration and existing moisture conditions. Stormwater management infrastructure designed using traditional design parameters determines the risk of flooding, property damage and human safety in communities. 

Recent trends in rainfall intensity, storm duration and distribution of rainfall over a range of time must be identified to re-evaluate the traditional design assumptions. After identifying the trends, the stormwater system’s vulnerability to flooding can be evaluated for a range of storm scenarios. 

With an improved understanding of rainfall trends, the efficacy of adaptation approaches to mitigate flooding can be evaluated and best practices for managing flood risk identified. Through this research, MnDOT anticipates gaining a better understanding of storm impacts to transportation infrastructure and increased abilities to ensure roadway and road-adjacent infrastructure resilience.

“MnDOT, along with other agencies, communities and organizations across Minnesota, is striving to increase resilience to flooding,” said Rachel Pichelmann, hydraulic resiliency engineer, MnDOT Hydraulics. “This research will help stakeholders understand the impacts of extreme precipitation on transportation infrastructure and assist in applying strategies to increase flood resilience.”

Objectives

In a new project, researchers will use modeling and data to improve forecasting of extreme storm impacts and assess flood management strategies, considering different community and watershed characteristics, stormwater networks and climate regions of the state.

The objectives are:

• Evaluate extreme storms, including intensity, duration and distribution of rainfall
• Quantify stormwater system vulnerability to flooding for a range of storm scenarios
• Compare the efficacy of green infrastructure to conventional stormwater management approaches to mitigate flooding
• Identify best stormwater management practices for roadway and adjacent infrastructure resilience

Project Details

• Estimated Start Date: 05/01/2024
• Estimated Completion Date: 02/28/2026
• Funding: MnDOT
• Principal Investigator: Andrew Erickson
• Co-Principal Investigators: William Herb, John Gulliver and Noah Gallagher
• Technical Liaison: Rachel Pichelmann

Details of the research study work plan and timeline are subject to change.

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