Model Flood Alert System: Development and Application for the Theater District within Downtown Houston, Tex.
Publication: Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 14, Issue 5
Abstract
Most operational flood alert systems (FASs) are based on real-time observations of rainfall, runoff, and simultaneous simulation of hydrologic and hydraulic models that are often augmented with weather forecast data. However, implementation of such a system can be cost prohibitive. Alternatively, a model FAS (MFAS) can effectively be developed for a channel section using reporting stream gauges measured against frequency-based design storms and unsteady-state hydraulic models. A MFAS is based on the principle of stage-to-stage crest relationship of river forecasting and in principle is similar to model floodplain maps produced on the basis of frequency-based design storms with the applications of steady-state hydraulic models. A MFAS is based on the predictable nature of the hydraulic response of channel cross sections and the hypothesis that sufficient warning time can be derived from quantitative estimation of flood wave propagation time from upstream to downstream. Based on these concepts, a model, yet real-time, FAS is developed specifically for the Houston Theater District, where heavy flooding during Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 caused significant structural, equipment, and records damage, as well as loss of lives.
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Acknowledgments
This work was conducted under a contract (No. 53350) with the City of Houston. Two anonymous reviewers, in particular the one who remained thinly disguised during multiple review processes, provided constructive criticisms and valuable comments for improvement of the materials presented in this paper. The section and associate editors of the journal also provided important advice on improving the quality. The writers express their gratitude to all of them.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 14 • Issue 5 • May 2009
Pages: 475 - 489
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Nov 16, 2006
Accepted: Jul 28, 2008
Published online: Feb 19, 2009
Published in print: May 2009
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