The Big U is a protective flood system around Manhattan, driven by the needs and concerns of its communities but also driving the sustainable development of a greener Manhattan waterfront. The value of the Big U concept is the innovative integration of state of the art flood protection solutions that can provide local community-driven benefits. A variety of approaches were presented including engineered structures (like sea walls, levees and storm surge barriers) and building with nature measures (like dune restoration, beach nourishment and wetlands restoration).
