The workstream’s initial focus in 2023 has been engaging and collaborating with the Project team to understand progress, ongoing work, and priorities. A Research and Development Plan was developed which sets out objectives, milestones and tasks, opportunities for collaborative working, and an indicative programme of work. The Plan will evolve as the direction and focus of the resilience workstream becomes more well defined throughout 2024.

The Plan currently sets out:

• A focus on building a solid foundation of knowledge and experience to steer the research and development of suitable and effective groundwater flooding resilience measures. Understanding the flood mechanisms, risks and hazards within each community are critical to inform the required parameters and specifications of the resilience measures ultimately developed. An open library, or Knowledge Base, that collates deliverables from other workstreams, including outputs from the Modelling and Monitoring workstreams, will be central to delivering this.
• Proposals to work closely with the Communication and Engagement workstreams to maximise opportunities to visit and engage with the communities, and to gather relevant data to inform the development of resilience measures. The workstream will visit the pilot communities to gain a clearer understanding of how residents and businesses have been impacted by flooding historically, and to understand individual and collective concerns and requirements when considering flood resilience measures.