EPN Breakfast Event - Rising Challenges: Building Rural Ohio’s Resilience to Severe Flooding

Program Overview

Climate-driven changes in precipitation and land use are reshaping flood risk across Ohio and throughout the Midwest, challenging long‑standing assumptions about where, when, and how communities face danger¹. Even areas historically considered low‑risk (or casually labeled “climate havens”) are now experiencing more frequent and intense flooding events, revealing vulnerabilities in both infrastructure and social preparedness². This Environmental Professionals Network program brings together state leaders, researchers, engineers, and community practitioners to explore how Ohio can strengthen its collective resilience. At the center of this conversation is a pressing question: How can communities learn from one another before disaster strikes?

You'll hear from speakers about the evolving interplay between top‑down risk management systems and bottom‑up community action as federal funding for emergency response wanes³, which has highlighted a growing need for shared knowledge, peer-to-peer support, and a wider culture of preparedness. Discussions will address both the social and technical dimensions of flood risk, including barriers to equitable adaptation, the importance of local trust networks, andengineering considerations for floodplain management.

This EPN event is presented in coordination with the Water Management Association of Ohio (WMAO) and serves as WMAO’s Spring Conference. Following the breakfast, attendees are invited to stay for an extended in‑person workshop designed by and for WMAO’s water management community. This workshop provides water professionals, students, and local leaders a deeper dive into the communication, planning, and engineering challenges posed by Ohio’s evolving flood landscape. It is worth two CEU/PDH credits and offers participants the opportunity to engage directly with experts, explore new tools and resources, and strengthen the collaborative capacity needed to reduce flooding risk in Ohio's rural communities.

References

¹U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “What Climate Change Means for Ohio” (2016) link here.

²Environmental Health News, “Climate disasters challenge the myth of ‘safe’ havens.” (2025) link here.

³AP News, "State emergency officials say new rules and delays for FEMA grants put disaster response at risk." (2025) link here.