As water managers and engineers, it’s important to understand our watersheds, urban landscapes, and their response to extreme events like heavy precipitation and rising surface water levels. Of the numerous tools at our disposal, there are many benefits to a flood warning system, including knowing in time where flooding issues could occur, enabling reactive action, and protecting lives while minimizing damage.

In this presentation, I will discuss urban flooding and the value of data collection for flood warning and protection. Together, we’ll examine what an ideal flood warning system might look like in your community and how data can help convince your community about the importance of being prepared for a flooding emergency.

We’ll also explore readily available data from U.S. Federal Agencies—such as the U.S. Geological Survey and National Weather Services—and the increasing need for greater data density to augment spatial and temporal data sets feeding critical predictive models.

With this presentation, attendees will:

• Receive an overview of flooding in the U.S. and factors that contribute to flooding
• Understand the role of data collection in organizations like the USGS and NWS
• Learn the importance of flood warning systems and their components
• Explore how data can help convince your community about the importance of being prepared for a flooding emergency