Artificial intelligence giving local scientists an edge in flood mitigation [Video]

NORFOLK, Va. — Flood mitigation in Norfolk has been a decades-long effort for researchers across Hampton Roads. The city is one of only a few at ground zero for sea-level rise across the country, making the work more critical, and more urgent locally.

But a potential breakthrough in flood prediction technology could launch that research forward.

The speed of computation is a critical difference compared to physics-based simulations that can take hours to analyze. Deep learning models, aka artificial intelligence, can accurately predict what’s called “nuisance flooding” in just 11 seconds.

What does that mean for us?

Speed is everything when it comes to flood mitigation. We are in a literal race against time with sea-level rise. If researchers can quickly identify exactly where high water is when it rains, then transportation, health, and emergency management …