RTI International has developed the NBS Explorer, a web-based tool designed to help communities and organizations address environmental challenges such as flooding and declining water quality. The NBS Explorer is built on RTI’s Watershed Flow and Allocation (WaterFALL) model platform and allows users—including conservation groups, land managers, and water resource planners—to evaluate the use of nature-based solutions in their local areas.
The tool integrates physical data, modeling, and community input to guide users through selecting project locations, types of nature-based solutions, and typical design parameters. This process enables stakeholders to estimate the benefits of interventions like wetland restoration or green infrastructure.
The WaterFALL model simulates hydrologic and water quality dynamics at the land-use scale. As a result, evaluations with the NBS Explorer provide information on both local benefits—such as reduced runoff or improved water quality—and cumulative downstream effects. Opportunity Map layers within the tool help identify areas that are suitable for implementation and likely to benefit human and ecological communities.
A key feature of the NBS Explorer is its user-friendly interface. The application uses a point-and-click mapping system that automatically defines watersheds for areas of interest, presents pre-populated data based on local criteria, and limits options according to watershed characteristics. For example, agricultural conservation practices can only be implemented on existing agricultural lands, with size restrictions based on available area; infiltration rates are determined by soil conditions.
By automating spatial and temporal data collection while minimizing technical requirements for setup, the NBS Explorer allows users without extensive expertise to run models and view results. This approach makes it accessible to community members addressing local flooding issues as well as scientists or commercial entities focused on broader watershed management or water stewardship goals.
The tool quantifies changes in hydrology—such as runoff reduction—and tracks improvements in water quality using WaterFALL simulations. For instance, it may show that a practice reduces runoff by two inches per year or achieves a 40% reduction in sediment loading locally with a 25% reduction at the watershed outlet.
RTI’s collaboration with groups like the Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group (CWWMG) in North and South Carolina demonstrates how stakeholders can use quantified results from the NBS Explorer for funding applications or regulatory reporting. Conservation groups obtain measurable reductions for grant proposals; corporate partners get values reportable under Volumetric Water Benefits Accounting; utility members ensure projects support secure water supplies.
In smaller communities with limited technical resources or funding—such as Natchez Village in Louisiana—the NBS Explorer has helped identify green infrastructure practices for flood mitigation. Using results from the tool enabled local authorities to secure state-level funding for project design and implementation.
The first deployment of the NBS Explorer specifically tailored for Louisiana is part of the Louisiana Watershed Initiative (LWI), which aims to reform flood mitigation strategies through coordinated efforts among five state agencies. LWI contracted with The Nature Conservancy’s Louisiana Chapter and RTI International to develop WaterFALL models supporting public examination of nature-based projects aimed at increasing flood resilience. Regional coordinators will begin testing this deployment later this month, with end-user training planned by early 2026.
RTI International also provides training resources related to prioritizing projects, supporting communities’ needs, and helping quantify environmental benefits through its broader mission focused on building capacity among stakeholders across sectors.
NBS Explorer team members will demonstrate the tool at upcoming events including the Trellis Conference in San Jose from October 27-29 and during a session at the American Water Resources Association Conference in Westminster on November 11.
According to RTI International: “By quantifying the power of nature, this innovative tool not only addresses immediate challenges like flooding but also contributes to broader goals of environmental resilience and ecological health.”
As deployments expand into more watersheds nationwide, RTI International expects that both natural systems and communities will be better equipped to handle ongoing environmental complexities linked to climate change.
