Applying Social Science to Coastal Management

Social Sciences

NOAA Storm Surge Needs Assessment


NOAA Storm Surge Report – Executive Summary In 2005, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Storm Surge Leadership Team sought to identify the wide variety of people who use storm surge information and to develop short-, middle-, and long-term actions to advance NOAA's storm surge capabilities. Three working groups, concentrating on assessing needs, modeling, and forecasting products and services, recommended several actions: develop of a common set of definitions among NOAA and other agencies, implement a community-modeling approach to create the next generation of storm surge modeling and forecasts, create local and Web-based training for emergency managers and the media, and improve decision-support tools. [download PDF] Storm Surge User Needs Assessment Report The NOAA Storm Surge Needs Assessment Working Group, in collaboration with Rhode Island Sea Grant, conducted a three-phase needs assessment that used key informant interviews, an on-line survey, and regional focus groups. The results from this assessment can be found in a report published by the NOAA Coastal Services Center in January 2006. [download PDF] Note: Viewing Portable Document Format (PDF) files require the use of a plug-in such as Adobe® Reader®. If you have any questions about these materials please contact Tricia Ryan.