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Inundation Mapping Science in Oklahoma and Texas

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By Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center April 26, 2018

Flood-inundation maps created by the USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center (OTWSC) allow users to view the possible extent and depth of flooding during a specific type of storm event. Flood inundation maps may be created using hydraulic models or by using data collected after a storm event (high-water marks). Visit the links below for more information on our data and science.

INUNDATION MAPPING SCIENCE CAPABILITIES

OTWSC has expertise in a wide variety of inundation mapping science applications, including, but not limited to: 

  • Modeling rivers and streams using hydraulic packages such as HEC-RAS
  • Developing decision support systems
  • Marking and surveying high-water marks
  • Determining peak discharge from indirect measurements
  • Analyzing flood-peak magnitudes and their statistical probabilities at selected locations
  • Analyzing high-water mark locations and elevations using geographic information system (GIS) to produce flood-inundation maps
  • Developing web-mapping applications for inundation extent and depth

 

Media
Medina River
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Surveying on the Medina River.

CURRENT INUNDATION MAPPING SCIENCE

Bandera Flood Early Warning Tool

InFRM Flood Inundation Mapping

Post Hurricane Harvey Assessment

 

 


 

Projects related to inundation mapping science are listed below.

Flooding at Brushy Creek near Round Rock, TX

InFRM Flood Inundation Mapping

The purpose of this flood inundation mapping effort will be to meet the needs of real-time emergency managers by bridging the gap between the NWS's river forecasts and FEMA's available hydraulic modeling and mapping.
By
Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center
InFRM Flood Inundation Mapping

InFRM Flood Inundation Mapping

The purpose of this flood inundation mapping effort will be to meet the needs of real-time emergency managers by bridging the gap between the NWS's river forecasts and FEMA's available hydraulic modeling and mapping.
Learn More
USGS streamgage on Buffalo Bayou, Houston, after Hurricane Harvey

Post Hurricane Harvey Assessment

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Harvey related flooding, the USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) initiated a cooperative study to evaluate the magnitude of the flood, determine the probability of occurrence, and map the extent of the flood in Texas.
By
Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Gulf of America
Post Hurricane Harvey Assessment

Post Hurricane Harvey Assessment

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Harvey related flooding, the USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) initiated a cooperative study to evaluate the magnitude of the flood, determine the probability of occurrence, and map the extent of the flood in Texas.
Learn More
Medina River

Bandera Flood Early Warning Tool

Risk of future flooding events in the Bandera County area highlights a critical need for a flood warning system. As part of the flood warning system, a tool set is needed to enhance the communication of flood risk and provide emergency managers additional information necessary to better mitigate the impacts of flooding. The USGS Texas Water Science Center is helping build this tool set through...
By
Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center
Bandera Flood Early Warning Tool

Bandera Flood Early Warning Tool

Risk of future flooding events in the Bandera County area highlights a critical need for a flood warning system. As part of the flood warning system, a tool set is needed to enhance the communication of flood risk and provide emergency managers additional information necessary to better mitigate the impacts of flooding. The USGS Texas Water Science Center is helping build this tool set through...
Learn More

Data and tools related to inundation mapping science are listed below.

Data Used to Characterize Peak Streamflows and Flood Inundation Resulting from Hurricane Harvey Data Used to Characterize Peak Streamflows and Flood Inundation Resulting from Hurricane Harvey

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the USGS and FEMA worked together to document the storm event in southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana. This data release contains the flood inundation polygons, flood-depth rasters, mapped boundaries, and high-water mark (HWM) locations for the selected river basins, coastal basins, and coastal areas that flooded in Texas and...
By
Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center

Publications related to inundation mapping science are listed below.

Characterization of peak streamflows and flood inundation of selected areas in southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana from the August and September 2017 flood resulting from Hurricane Harvey Characterization of peak streamflows and flood inundation of selected areas in southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana from the August and September 2017 flood resulting from Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas, on August 25, 2017, as a Category 4 hurricane with wind gusts exceeding 150 miles per hour. As Harvey moved inland, the forward motion of the storm slowed down and produced tremendous rainfall amounts over southeastern Texas, with 8-day rainfall amounts exceeding 60 inches in some locations, which is about 15 inches more than average...
Authors
Kara M. Watson, Glenn R. Harwell, David S. Wallace, Toby L. Welborn, Victoria G. Stengel, Jeremy S. McDowell
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Hurricane Harvey

Flood-inundation maps created by the USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center (OTWSC) allow users to view the possible extent and depth of flooding during a specific type of storm event. Flood inundation maps may be created using hydraulic models or by using data collected after a storm event (high-water marks). Visit the links below for more information on our data and science.

INUNDATION MAPPING SCIENCE CAPABILITIES

OTWSC has expertise in a wide variety of inundation mapping science applications, including, but not limited to: 

  • Modeling rivers and streams using hydraulic packages such as HEC-RAS
  • Developing decision support systems
  • Marking and surveying high-water marks
  • Determining peak discharge from indirect measurements
  • Analyzing flood-peak magnitudes and their statistical probabilities at selected locations
  • Analyzing high-water mark locations and elevations using geographic information system (GIS) to produce flood-inundation maps
  • Developing web-mapping applications for inundation extent and depth

 

Media
Medina River
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Surveying on the Medina River.

CURRENT INUNDATION MAPPING SCIENCE

Bandera Flood Early Warning Tool

InFRM Flood Inundation Mapping

Post Hurricane Harvey Assessment

 

 


 

Projects related to inundation mapping science are listed below.

Flooding at Brushy Creek near Round Rock, TX

InFRM Flood Inundation Mapping

The purpose of this flood inundation mapping effort will be to meet the needs of real-time emergency managers by bridging the gap between the NWS's river forecasts and FEMA's available hydraulic modeling and mapping.
By
Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center
InFRM Flood Inundation Mapping

InFRM Flood Inundation Mapping

The purpose of this flood inundation mapping effort will be to meet the needs of real-time emergency managers by bridging the gap between the NWS's river forecasts and FEMA's available hydraulic modeling and mapping.
Learn More
USGS streamgage on Buffalo Bayou, Houston, after Hurricane Harvey

Post Hurricane Harvey Assessment

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Harvey related flooding, the USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) initiated a cooperative study to evaluate the magnitude of the flood, determine the probability of occurrence, and map the extent of the flood in Texas.
By
Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Gulf of America
Post Hurricane Harvey Assessment

Post Hurricane Harvey Assessment

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Harvey related flooding, the USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) initiated a cooperative study to evaluate the magnitude of the flood, determine the probability of occurrence, and map the extent of the flood in Texas.
Learn More
Medina River

Bandera Flood Early Warning Tool

Risk of future flooding events in the Bandera County area highlights a critical need for a flood warning system. As part of the flood warning system, a tool set is needed to enhance the communication of flood risk and provide emergency managers additional information necessary to better mitigate the impacts of flooding. The USGS Texas Water Science Center is helping build this tool set through...
By
Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center
Bandera Flood Early Warning Tool

Bandera Flood Early Warning Tool

Risk of future flooding events in the Bandera County area highlights a critical need for a flood warning system. As part of the flood warning system, a tool set is needed to enhance the communication of flood risk and provide emergency managers additional information necessary to better mitigate the impacts of flooding. The USGS Texas Water Science Center is helping build this tool set through...
Learn More

Data and tools related to inundation mapping science are listed below.

Data Used to Characterize Peak Streamflows and Flood Inundation Resulting from Hurricane Harvey Data Used to Characterize Peak Streamflows and Flood Inundation Resulting from Hurricane Harvey

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the USGS and FEMA worked together to document the storm event in southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana. This data release contains the flood inundation polygons, flood-depth rasters, mapped boundaries, and high-water mark (HWM) locations for the selected river basins, coastal basins, and coastal areas that flooded in Texas and...
By
Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center

Publications related to inundation mapping science are listed below.

Characterization of peak streamflows and flood inundation of selected areas in southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana from the August and September 2017 flood resulting from Hurricane Harvey Characterization of peak streamflows and flood inundation of selected areas in southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana from the August and September 2017 flood resulting from Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas, on August 25, 2017, as a Category 4 hurricane with wind gusts exceeding 150 miles per hour. As Harvey moved inland, the forward motion of the storm slowed down and produced tremendous rainfall amounts over southeastern Texas, with 8-day rainfall amounts exceeding 60 inches in some locations, which is about 15 inches more than average...
Authors
Kara M. Watson, Glenn R. Harwell, David S. Wallace, Toby L. Welborn, Victoria G. Stengel, Jeremy S. McDowell
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Hurricane Harvey
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