Improving approaches to extreme precipitation estimation for infrastructure hazard risk planning: bipartisan infrastructure law (BIL) budget: $357,554; period: 8/1/20257/31/2027 primary contact: DR

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded $357,554 under the Cooperative Institute (Inter-Agency Funded Activities) program (CFDA 11.405) to the University of Colorado Boulder's Cooperative Institute for Earth System Research and Data Science (CIESRDS) for the period August 1, 2025 through July 31, 2027. This cooperative agreement, funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, supports research to improve Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) estimation methodologies used in dam safety, high-hazard infrastructure planning, and water resources management. The project deliverables include development and testing of physics-based weather modeling approaches, implementation of postprocessing techniques to correct systematic model errors, and validation of improved PMP estimation methods across the United States—all aligned with recommendations from a 2024 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine study commissioned by NOAA.

The research team, led by Dr. Shawn Murdzek and including collaborators from NOAA's Global Systems Laboratory and Physical Sciences Laboratory, will produce enhanced PMP estimation tools and methodologies that replace outdated current approaches. The cooperative agreement leverages multidisciplinary expertise across government, university, and research institution partners to advance operational forecasting and environmental science capabilities. Outputs will include improved weather modeling simulations, validated postprocessing algorithms, and updated PMP estimates that directly support infrastructure resilience and hazard risk planning initiatives nationwide.

Shawn murdzek cooperative institute for earth system research and data science (CIESRDS) 325 broadway, boulder, CO, 80305