The Engineering With Nature® website is full of information on the innovative collaborations between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other natural infrastructure organizations around the world. The newest resource on the website is their updated Active Research Archive, which hosts informational pages for eight impressive projects in the nature-based solutions space. Check them out below:
1. Quantifying Hybrid Dunes for Barrier Island Resiliency
This project evaluates the effectiveness of hybrid dune systems—combinations of natural and hardened materials—for enhancing coastal protection and barrier island resilience. Through physical and ecological experiments, combined with life-cycle economic modeling, the team will generate data to guide the design, planning, and performance assessment of hybrid dunes. The effort will establish a testable framework for evaluating natural infrastructure performance and inform future coastal engineering guidance. Learn more here.
2. Idealized Natural Infrastructure Simulator to Quantify Benefits
This project develops a standardized, simulation-based framework for evaluating the performance and benefits of natural infrastructure (NI) in coastal storm risk management. Using existing planning models and case study data, the research team will build idealized NI profiles (reefs, wetlands, barrier islands) and run multi-lifecycle simulations to quantify their storm protection and economic benefits. The tool will streamline feasibility-level planning by offering a repeatable method for comparing NI alternatives alongside traditional and hybrid infrastructure. This project is strengthened by N-EWN partnerships. Learn more here.
3. Reproducible Framework Standardized Methods to Score Resilience-Focused Outcomes of Nature-Based Solutions
This project develops a standardized, repeatable framework for assessing the broad, resilience-focused benefits of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). By integrating ecological, economic, and community metrics—including the new Biodiversity Security Index (BSI)—the framework enables practitioners to evaluate alternatives more holistically. A pilot in the Great Lakes Region will test the methodology, leading to tools and publications that support broader adoption of NBS in USACE planning and policy. Learn more here.
4. Ecosystem and Flood Risk Management Compatibility Investigation
This research project investigates how Natural and Nature-Based Features (NNBF) have been used along the Rio Grande and its tributaries to support ecosystem restoration and flood risk management (FRM). Through case study documentation, field visits, and stakeholder engagement, the team will develop design guidance tailored to the arid Southwest. A regional geodatabase and a Design and Applications Guidance Handbook will help practitioners plan and implement NNBF effectively in fluvial systems. Learn more here.
5. Natural Infrastructure Tools for the Arid Southwest
This project will deliver design resources and implementation guidance to help USACE and partner agencies integrate Natural and Nature-Based Features (NNBF) into flood risk and erosion management in arid and semi-arid regions. It addresses both technical and institutional barriers, ensuring greater adoption and impact of EWN practices in these challenging environments. Learn more here.
6. Performance Metrics for Nature-Based Solutions: Leveraging 25 Years of USACE and Partner Remote Sensing Data
This project uses more than 25 years of USACE and partner coastal remote sensing data to evaluate the long-term performance of nature-based solutions (NBS) implemented across the country. By integrating existing geospatial tools with cloud-based analysis, the team will develop standardized performance metrics that support design, monitoring, and adaptive management of coastal NBS across the USACE Civil Works mission. Learn more here.
7. Quantifying the Benefits of Nature-Based Solutions Through Numerical Modeling
This project uses numerical models and life cycle risk assessment to quantify the hydrodynamic and cost benefits of nature-based solutions (NBS) such as reefs, wetlands, and islands. Through scenario testing under extreme storm conditions, the research team will develop guidance to help engineers and planners design more effective, resilient, and cost-efficient NBS projects. Comparisons with traditional infrastructure will further support decision-making in coastal flood risk management. This project is strengthened by N-EWN partnerships including the University of Georgia and University of Florida. Learn more here.
8. The Great Lakes Natural And Nature-Based Features Playbook
Recent high lake levels have exposed the widespread vulnerability of the Great Lakes coastline. Increasingly frequent flooding and erosion cause property damage, endanger lives, and disrupt local economies. Natural and nature-based features (NNBF) are measures and techniques that can be incorporated into shoreline protection to reduce flood risk and improve the resilience of coastal and inland water systems. The current understanding of coastal NNBF focuses on ocean coastlines resulting in a lack of confidence in the applicability and cost-benefit of these measures for the Great Lakes. Learn more here.
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