Blueprint for a Flood and Drought Research Infrastructure

This 15-month scoping phase project will deliver the blueprint for a Flood and Drought Infrastructure Investment (FDRI). It will provide the evidence for, and recommendations on how the intended programme of infrastructure could be established and managed in order to deliver benefits to society. The scoping will involve extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders and collate evidence and experiences from other similar initiatives worldwide. It will seek the views of the broad community to agree upon the initial driving science challenges that can only be addressed through a significant investment in data and observing networks. Through consultation we will seek answers to questions such as what new measurements are required, where and how the data can be gathered and what new technology might be required. The blueprint will develop a series of costed investment strategies (including the implications of "do nothing") and plans for the networks longer term sustainability. An open, near real-time data and IT framework will be proposed to ensure that the data are made available in a quick and simple manner.