USGS Newsroom

A powerful new online flood mapping tool that will help emergency managers protect lives and property in the flood-prone Sweetwater Creek area will be unveiled Wednesday at Austell's Legion Regional Park. The interactive web-based tool, called a "flood inundation map," is the first of its kind to be created for a major urban area in the southeastern United States.  Cobb County was ground zero for high water and flood damages from the epic 2009 flood events; this map will help identify where the potential threat of floodwaters is greatest, enabling quick decisions to be made about when and how to evacuate area residents threatened by rising floodwaters.  This mapping product, along with other USGS and National Weather Service tools, create a comprehensive flood preparedness "toolbox" for the Sweetwater Creek and surrounding communities. Follow this event live on Twitter @USGSLive.