Smarter Water Insights, Safer Communities

In general, yes. meteorologists can predict heavy rainfall days in advance, and with an accurate hydrologic model of their area, local leaders can turn that data into an accurate prediction of how the forecasted storm will translate to flood inundation in their area. With that said, the quality of the forecast and the model both need to be high to create the best possible prediction.

A flood warning system is an early flood monitoring solution that deploys accurate and well-maintained sensing instruments, like rain gauges, water level sensors, and flow rate sensors. The data from these sensors then utilizes a reliable and robust communications systems and a central base station to allow the data to be processed, analyzed, and monitored. When a threshold is reached across any of the sensors, an automated alert is sent out to initiate emergency action plans.

Locally owned and operated automated flood early warning systems help save lives and reduce property damage by providing critical, real-time information to the National Weather Service and public officials at all levels of state and local government to issue alerts warning people who are vulnerable to flooding.

To begin your flood planning, a flood risk analysis should be completed, evaluating the risk of flooding and the vulnerability of the specific area. Things that need to be taken into consideration are topography, infrastructure, climate, frequency of storms over an area, and more. Read our Flood Resilience and Planning Solutions Guide to learn more.

Hydrological forecasting provides flood inundation mapping enabling advanced lead time to flooding conditions and indicates which areas might be impacted with flooding conditions.

Levees, designed to protect communities against flooding, can be particularly vulnerable during intense storm events. Heavy rainfall can put levees at risk of overtopping and the consequences can be catastrophic. Additionally, deterioration and failure due to erosion is of particular concern for communities living near or behind a levee. During high water events, erosion can take place at or below the water surface. Even if a levee is being patrolled during an event, unseen erosion can be threatening the levee’s structural integrity.

Wildfires cause serious damage to property and communities. With vegetation gone, rainfall can cause debris flows and flash floods. With fires that burn hot, the soil can become hydrophobic, increasing runoff and the potential for dangerous flooding, debris flows and landslides. With remote difficult terrains and lack of communications infrastructure, monitoring for potential flood threatening conditions can be challenging.