Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Program : AECOM JV wins key role

AECOM (NYSE: ACM), a global infrastructure consulting leader, unveiled its partnership with Moffatt & Nichol and Volkert to steer the City of Norfolk, Virginia’s $2.6 billion Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Program (Norfolk CSRM). Positioned as the managing entity of the Norfolk Resilience Partners JV, AECOM will mobilize an ensemble of experts to reinforce Norfolk’s pivotal role as the Local Sponsor.

The Critical Role of CSRM in Norfolk

Designed under the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) initiative, the overarching ambition of the Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Program is to amplify the city’s infrastructure resilience against coastal deluges and assuage damages from significant tempestuous occurrences. “Norfolk’s CSRM program offers a comprehensive flood risk management framework, safeguarding its vibrant community and its economic backbone,” remarked Beverley Stinson, the spearhead of AECOM’s global Water business.

In-Depth Look at Services & Implementation Phases of the Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Program

The Norfolk Resilience Partners, under a unique award contract, pledge to proffer an array of services – from program management to public engagement, environmental evaluations to grant administration. This colossal project will undergo segmentation into five distinct phases. Four of these phases will be linked to watershed regions: Downtown, Pretty Lake, Lafayette River, and Broad Creek. The fifth segment focuses on city-wide Non-Structural strategies, encompassing home elevations and floodproofing.

Norfolk’s Position in the Coastal Defense Landscape

Bane Gaiser, the chief executive of AECOM’s U.S. East and Latin America domain, emphasized the program’s significance, noting its potential to serve as a paradigm for resilience initiatives globally. Norfolk’s susceptibility to flooding, as pinpointed by USACE, underscores the urgent need for such a program. The collective mission is clear: to bolster Norfolk’s defense mechanisms in the face of rising sea levels and climatic shifts, preserving its coastal charm. This entails an amalgamation of floodwalls, surge barriers, tide gates, pump stations, and more.