Join the Flood Watch this summer and fall by monitoring flooding with photos, videos, and field notes to help prioritize improvements to the City's stormwater system!
The volunteers will gather data during and immediately following intense rain events and longer duration rain events in the summer and fall of 2023 to map the flooded areas of the City. To participate:
To become a community scientist volunteer for the Flood Watch project volunteer, please review the project documents and video linked above (to learn how to gather flood data) and fill out the Participation Registration Form. We thank you!
The City is creating a Stormwater System and Green Infrastructure Master Plan which will help the City prioritize citywide drainage infrastructure improvements. The City of Worcester was awarded a 2022-2024 Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Plan (MVP) Action Grant to help develop it. The project's goals are:
The City hired a consultant (Weston & Sampson) to:
Climate Change is exacerbating flooding in Worcester due to more frequent and intense rainstorms and increase in total annual rainfall. The future flooding in the City will affect even more areas if we don't make changes to our stormwater system and how we build and manage our urban spaces.
A community science project to help the City reduce flooding. Volunteers will gather on-the-ground flood data to help improve the accuracy of the developed model of the stormwater system. Learn more by watching the Training Session recording and reviewing the slides on this page (linked above).
Thank you for your interest in participating! First, watch the Training Session recording or review the slides to learn about the project and for details on participation. Then you can fill out the Participation Registration Form and start gathering data.
The Participation Registration Form is linked above. Once you complete it, you will receive an email with the link to the Data Submission Form. You will also be added to our email list for project updates.
Once you complete the Participation Registration Form, you will receive an email with the link to the Data Submission Form.
Please email the issue and your data to GreenWorcester@worcesterma.gov.
No. We appreciate any and all time you can dedicate to this project! We will keep in touch with the participants when the project is wrapping up (which depends on the frequency of rain events but is expected to wrap up around December 2023).
Not typically. You can collect flooding data when you see flooding on the street and/or during or right after a heavy rainstorm. It is possible that we will send an email to the participants if there is a high chance of a severe rain event happening.
Wherever you have historically observed flooding as we also want to benefit from your local knowledge and experience living in the City. While filming or taking photos, try to show the full extent of the flooding (from beginning to end).
No, this is a volunteer project.
While you are not required to do this, having the pictures and videos connected to the GPS location makes data analysis easier and more accurate. Instructions for turning on the geolocation on Android and iPhone can be found at the links. You can also drop a pin on your map and screenshot that to upload. If you don't turn on this tool, please take situational photos (street signs, intersections, etc.) and keep good track of the location to include on the submission form.
Sustainability & Resilience
City Hall Room 108
455 Main Street
Worcester, MA 01608
Phone: 508-799-8325
Email Us
Office Hours:
By Appointment: Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
