Use of radar data to assess water infrastructure resiliency and sustainability

An efficient and resilient water infrastructure is required for a healthy economy and social well-being. Any breakdown in this critical infrastructure can have serious short- to long-term cascading effects, as evidenced by recent catastrophic flooding in areas around the country. To ensure resilient and sustainable infrastructure, various engineering and scientific aspects need coordinated attention and solution. Research and accurate data assessment are necessary to enable application of the best tools and knowledge to solve problems related to both current and future infrastructure conditions. Otherwise, today’s engineering fixes may fail to address tomorrow’s impacts. Radar is an essential tool in the collection of meteorological data, which are used not only to provide weather forecasts but also to inform the planning and design of water infrastructure appropriate to both daily and storminduced needs. Data collection and synthesis research programs are critical to the effective evaluation of risk and thus to the sustainability of hydrologic systems. © 2018, National Academy of Sciences. All Rights reserved.