Innovative Hydrologic Products and Services from the National Weather Service Gregory P. Shelton Service Coordination Hydrologist NWS West Gulf River Forecast Center – Fort Worth, TX Tracy Howieson Hydrologic Services Program Manager NWS Southern Region Headquarters – Fort Worth, TX

Hydrologic Services Overview Education/Outreach Education/Outreach Turn Around Dont Drown® Turn Around Dont Drown® High Water Mark Signs High Water Mark Signs Partnerships Partnerships Products/Services Products/Services Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service Decision Support/Customer Involvement Decision Support/Customer Involvement Decision Support Services Decision Support Services Societal Impacts Research Societal Impacts Research

Hydrologic Services Turn Around Dont Drown® Campaign to raise public awareness of flood hazards while driving Campaign to raise public awareness of flood hazards while driving DOT Approved Road Signs DOT Approved Road Signs Sign Guidelines can be found at: Sign Guidelines can be found at: Available Signs: Available Signs: Incident Sign (magenta) Incident Sign (magenta) Warning Sign (yellow) Warning Sign (yellow)

Hydrologic Services Turn Around Dont Drown® Signs deployed along flood prone roads Signs deployed along flood prone roads Example of Campaign Activities Example of Campaign Activities NWS Sign Deployment NWS Sign Deployment Oklahoma Floodplain Managers Association (OFMA) Oklahoma Floodplain Managers Association (OFMA) Tennessee Sign Deployment Tennessee Sign Deployment Grant Opportunities for Emergency Managers, etc. Grant Opportunities for Emergency Managers, etc. WalmartWalmart State Farm InsuranceState Farm Insurance TADD Information TADD Information

Hydrologic Services High Water Mark Signs Campaign to raise community awareness of local flood risk Campaign to raise community awareness of local flood risk Signs can be deployed anywhere in the community Signs can be deployed anywhere in the community Signs communicate ways to receive river information Signs communicate ways to receive river information HWM Information: HWM Information:

Hydrologic Services Example Sign Wadley, AL

Hydrologic Services Current Sign Locations

Hydrologic Services Utilizing Partnerships Increased need for outreach and education in the Hydrologic Services Program Increased need for outreach and education in the Hydrologic Services Program Service Coordination Hydrologist Service Coordination Hydrologist Liaison with stakeholders and partners Liaison with stakeholders and partners Actively engage partners Actively engage partners Texas Flash Flood Coalition Texas Flash Flood Coalition Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy UNESCO - University of Iowa Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy UNESCO - University of Iowa

Hydrologic Services Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service Overhaul of NWS Hydrologic Services Overhaul of NWS Hydrologic Services Mississippi Flood of 1993, Red River of the North Flood of 1997 Mississippi Flood of 1993, Red River of the North Flood of 1997 Service and Science Enhancements Service and Science Enhancements River Forecast Services River Forecast Services Longer-range ensemble forecast technique to quantify forecast certainty Longer-range ensemble forecast technique to quantify forecast certainty Projected completion in 2014 (2553 of 4011 forecast points as of 04/2010) Projected completion in 2014 (2553 of 4011 forecast points as of 04/2010) Flash Flood Services Flash Flood Services Higher resolution modeling for fast responding rivers Higher resolution modeling for fast responding rivers Advanced tools to better identify risk and improve warning accuracy and lead time Advanced tools to better identify risk and improve warning accuracy and lead time Inundation Mapping Services Inundation Mapping Services Depict spatial extent and depth of flood waters near NWS forecast points Depict spatial extent and depth of flood waters near NWS forecast points 47 points as of (04/2010) 47 points as of (04/2010) Partnerships with FEMA, USGS, States, River Authorities, etc. Partnerships with FEMA, USGS, States, River Authorities, etc. Dissemination Services Dissemination Services Outreach Outreach Biannual survey of key customers administered by CFI Group Biannual survey of key customers administered by CFI Group CSI for 2008 – 80 ( Government average – 68) CSI for 2008 – 80 ( Government average – 68) National Flood Safety Awareness Week (launched 2005) National Flood Safety Awareness Week (launched 2005) Partnership with The Weather Channel® to develop educational videos Partnership with The Weather Channel® to develop educational videos Waters Fury (2004) Waters Fury (2004) Cyclone: Second Wave (2007) Cyclone: Second Wave (2007)

Hydrologic Services AHPS Web Portal

Hydrologic Services Precipitation Data National 24-Hour Precipitation Best Estimate Static zoom to states/regions Static zoom to states/regions Various time scales from 1 day to 1 year Various time scales from 1 day to 1 year Normal, Departure from Normal, and Normal, Departure from Normal, and Percent of Normal graphics Percent of Normal graphics Experimental Hourly Precipitation Best Estimate Google API maps Google API maps Various time scales from 1 – 120 hours Various time scales from 1 – 120 hours

Hydrologic Services River Information

Hydrologic Services River Information

Hydrologic Services Probabilistic Forecasts 90 day Exceedance Probability Weekly Exceedance Histogram

Hydrologic Services 90 Day Exceedance Example l Conditional stages higher than observed stages…therefore wetter than normal

Hydrologic Services Weekly Histogram Example 12 out of 50 times the stage increased above the simulation starting stage (25%) 38 out of 50 times the stage decreased from the starting stage and the starting stage was always the maximum At 12z 9/17/2008 SOLT2 was 26.26ft 75% chance of being above flood stage 3 months from now

Hydrologic Services Flood Inundation Mapping Map types Map types Predefined Levels Predefined Levels Flood Categories Flood Categories Current Forecast Current Forecast Overlays Overlays Street maps Street maps Aerial photos Aerial photos Map Tools Map Tools Zoom Zoom Mouse over for water depth Mouse over for water depth Export to multiple formats (including shapefiles) Export to multiple formats (including shapefiles) Current forecast zoomed to forecast point Flood categories zoomed to nearby neighborhood Full map with aerial photo and predefined height displayed

Hydrologic Services Trinity River at Dallas Current Observation: FT at 11 UTC on 9/14/09 Forecast Stages Current forecast ordinates plotted

Hydrologic Services NWSChat Before Chat… Before Chat… Phone and Phone and Are the right people getting the right information in a timely manner? Are the right people getting the right information in a timely manner? Why Chat? Why Chat? Augment existing communications by bringing stakeholders into the decision making process through a one many concept Augment existing communications by bringing stakeholders into the decision making process through a one many concept Whos Chatting? Whos Chatting? Emergency Management, Federal, and Regional entities (i.e. public safety officials, USACE, USGS, river authorities) Emergency Management, Federal, and Regional entities (i.e. public safety officials, USACE, USGS, river authorities) How are we Chatting? How are we Chatting? Click on Request NWSChat Account Click on Request NWSChat Account Sign up for an account and create a user ID Sign up for an account and create a user ID

Hydrologic Services Example – Partner Coordination Discussion between NWS and Harris County Flood Control District (City of Houston) on potential rainfall and impacts USGS relaying stream flow measurements from the field and coordinating on additional locations

Hydrologic Services iNWS Prototype system to provide NWS alerts on mobile devices Prototype system to provide NWS alerts on mobile devices Community Leaders and Government Partners Community Leaders and Government Partners inws.wrh.noaa.gov inws.wrh.noaa.gov Viewable from computer and mobile devices Viewable from computer and mobile devices Alerts based on customer preference Alerts based on customer preference Alerts now include river observations and forecasts Alerts now include river observations and forecasts

Hydrologic Services Societal Impacts WAS*IS (Water and Science – Integrated Studies) WAS*IS (Water and Science – Integrated Studies) Social science into the weather/water enterprise to improve response to warnings/emergencies Social science into the weather/water enterprise to improve response to warnings/emergencies Customer involvement in NWS policy and product development Customer involvement in NWS policy and product development Numerous local, regional, and federal projects Numerous local, regional, and federal projects Designed to elicit feedback/input from customers Designed to elicit feedback/input from customers Drive new initiatives Drive new initiatives Effectively communicate risk Effectively communicate risk Ensure customers needs are known and addressed Ensure customers needs are known and addressed

Hydrologic Services Summary Education/Outreach Education/Outreach Improving awareness and preparedness Improving awareness and preparedness Products/Services Products/Services Providing information before, during, and after events Providing information before, during, and after events Decision Support/Customer Involvement Decision Support/Customer Involvement Ensuring the right information is being communicated Ensuring the right information is being communicated

Hydrologic Services Questions/Comments? Gregory Shelton Gregory Shelton Service Coordination Hydrologist NWS West Gulf River Forecast Center x323 Tracy Howieson Tracy Howieson Hydrologic Services Program Manager NWS Southern Region x120