September Seminar: Nature as Infrastructure: Reducing Flood Risk and Delivering Ecosystem Service Co-Benefits in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

Date and Time
July 27, 2026, 12:00 pm CDT

 

A large stump and garbage scattered in the mud after a flood.
Photo credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture

The Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (MW CASC) July seminar will present ongoing work on how natural systems such as wetlands, forests and floodplains can help reduce flood risk in the Upper Mississippi River Basin.

Using an integrated modeling approach, the study, led by researchers at the University of Minnesota's NatCap TEEMs Research Center, examines how changes in natural infrastructure influence flooding under different storm and climate scenarios. Their findings demonstrate how investments in nature-based solutions can help reduce flood impacts while also providing additional benefits such as improved water quality, sediment retention and carbon storage.

Presenters:  

  • Nfamara Dampha, center director, University of Minnesota's NatCap TEEMs Research Center 
  • Philip Adalikwu, postdoctoral researcher, University of Minnesota's NatCap TEEMs Research Center
  • Heman Das Lohano, visiting professor, University of Minnesota Department of Applied Economics and professor, Institute of Business Administration in Karachi 

This is the second installment of the MW CASC’s Summer Seminar Series.