An online survey analysis of coastal flood recovery aided by resident mitigation behavior

In coastal regions, at-risk residents are encouraged to invest in individual flood mitigation measures to increase their ability to recover from the impact of flood events. However, the effectiveness of short and long-term mitigation measures can be influenced by socio-economic factors that affect recovery. In this study, we distributed online public surveys to 796 coastal residents in the southeastern United States to identify contributing factors to individual flood hazard mitigation and recovery from flood events in Houston, Texas, Mobile, Alabama, and Savannah, Georgia. Ordinal logistic regression was used to analyze the effects of explanatory variables on flood mitigation and recovery. In addition, a structural equation model was used to test the effects of explanatory variables on the causal pathway between mitigation actions taken and degree of recovery from a flood event. We determined that, of the coastal residents able to complete the online survey, younger residents with higher income and more experience in the study areas were more likely to take actions to mitigate flood risks. In addition, preparation for and recovery from flood events were most effective for older residents with higher reported income. Finally, investment in mitigation actions has a significant influence on effective recovery from flood events, with the quality of mitigation actions likely more effective than the quantity of actions. These findings can inform the approaches taken toward flood recovery by local planners and policymakers by identifying the factors that may lead to decreased ease or effectiveness of recovery in the community.