Pathways and interactions
Study surface, sewer, groundwater and building systems together.
Research and innovation
Urban Flooding Research
Research into rainfall, drainage capacity, overland routes, sewer surcharge, groundwater and building-level consequences in Canadian communities.
- Ontario depthverified local sources
- Canada-widelearning and research
- Source-awaredates and limitations
Who this serves
Use the resource within a defined role and decision.
- Stormwater and flood-resilience professionals
- Municipal and public-agency staff
- Property and facility organizations
- Researchers, educators and solution providers
What RSM provides
Independent education, resource organization, research translation and pathways to official information.
What remains external
Government eligibility, insurance coverage, legal requirements, engineering decisions and emergency direction.
Review discipline
Current-event and programme pages must be rechecked when dates, maps or rules change.
Resource design
Useful information needs context, authority and an action path.
Exposure and consequence
Include people, critical services, housing and business disruption.
Event evidence
Use rainfall, flow, reports, imagery and property observations with clear limits.
Implementation
Connect findings to land use, infrastructure, property measures and communication.
Purpose
The research question
Research into rainfall, drainage capacity, overland routes, sewer surcharge, groundwater and building-level consequences in Canadian communities. A useful project begins with a decision or knowledge gap, identifies affected users and states what evidence would change practice. It should avoid starting from a preferred product or predetermined conclusion.
Evidence and context
Method, context and uncertainty
Methods should fit the question and preserve enough metadata for review. Rainfall, flow, imagery, maintenance, property and programme data can be incomplete or geographically uneven. Findings must state where they apply and what remains uncertain.
Responsible use
Translation into action
Research should connect to standards, training, municipal resources, maintenance, procurement or public education. Translation products must not simplify away important limits, and operational adoption should be monitored for unintended effects.
Use sequence
Move from information to a responsible decision.
- 1
Define the decision and users.
- 2
Review evidence and data availability.
- 3
Select ethical and proportionate methods.
- 4
Analyse results with limitations.
- 5
Publish, translate and evaluate use.
Avoid these mistakes
Common ways useful information becomes misleading or unsafe
- Technology searching for a problem
- Undocumented data cleaning
- Generalizing beyond the study context
- Allowing sponsor influence to remain undisclosed
Related pathways
Continue with the right audience, authority or learning route.
Official and institutional references
Open the source that controls the decision.
RSM explains and organizes information. Current government, municipal, insurance, research and programme sources remain controlling within their scope.
Frequently asked questions
Scope, accuracy and next-step questions
Does RSM endorse products studied in a project?
No. Research participation or evidence does not create an endorsement, credential or standards preference.
Can preliminary results be published?
Only with a clear preliminary status, method and warning against unsupported use.
How are Indigenous or community data handled?
Governance, consent, sovereignty, benefit and appropriate partnership must be addressed before collection or publication.
Can I propose a project?
Yes. Use the research-submission page with a clear question, method, partners, funding and conflict disclosure.
Put knowledge into action
Connect resources to training, standards, municipal information and accountable follow-through.
Use RSM to understand the field, then confirm the current authority and qualified role for the decision in front of you.
Published: July 19, 2026 Last reviewed: July 19, 2026
RSM is an independent educational platform. It does not administer DRAO, determine insurance coverage, guarantee funding or replace emergency, municipal, legal, engineering or professional advice.
Next steps
Continue into research and evidence
Explore current themes, reports and transparent contribution pathways.