Flood Mapping and Response System for Emergency Responders

Durmus CesurPh.D., PMP, PE, GISP, CFM, ESRI Certified Enterprise GIS AssociateESRI Certified ArcGIS Desktop Asso/ProfessionalESRI Authorized & Certified InstructorSan Antonio River AuthorityEmail: dcesur@sara-tx.org

Outline

• Introduction

• Emergency management

• Enterprise GIS

• Enterprise GIS for emergency management

• Enterprise GIS-based emergency management example application

• Conclusions

Emergency Management

• Discipline and profession of applying science, technology, planning and management to deal with extreme events including:

• Human-caused

• Natural disasters

• Internal disturbances

• Energy and material shortages

• Attacks

Emergency Management

Emergency

Management

Planning

Mitigation

PreparednessResponse

Recovery

Enterprise GIS

• Uses

– Manages, analyzes, visualizes and disseminates information using location (Where?) as the common denominator

– Enables effective, efficient collaboration, and decision making and follow-up actions/implementations

Enterprise GIS for Emergency Management

Information Systems and Geographic Information Systems Component in Emergency Management

• Understand where, when, why, who and how to take action

• Share knowledge with the emergency management personnel and the public

• Plan, mitigate, prepare, respond, and recover emergency situations using right, properly organized, and timely information and appropriate decisions based on these

• Share/Coordinate information across multiple disciplines and promote a comprehensive approach for emergencies

Enterprise GIS for Emergency Management

• GIS uses in emergency management:

– Identifying and locating potential emergency problems, issues

– Visualizing and analyzing the spatial information to find out high risk areas

– Determining mitigation needs and measures including the legislative ones for various emergencies

– Locating facilities, routes, and other critical assets

– Real-time monitoring of emergency situation and early warning

– Allocating short term recovery facilities, developing long term recovery plans, and tracking progress

SARA D/S Counties Flood Mapping and Response System

(D/S FMRS)• San Antonio River Authority (SARA) Downstream

Counties (Wilson, Karnes and Goliad Counties of Texas) Flood Mapping and Response System:

– Designed for use by Emergency Operations Managers of downstream counties for flood mapping and response

SARA, The Basin & Jurisdiction

The Need for D/S FMRS

• Provide a web GIS based tool for downstream counties emergency management personnel for use before, during, and after flooding events

• Provide limited interactivity with the system for the end users (i.e., emergency managers) to let them assign stage elevations for all stations of interest and to have the flood maps accordingly

• Reduce and/or eliminate the information technology infrastructure management and maintenance costs for flood related emergencies for these counties

D/S FMRS

– ArcGIS Desktop-based application (extension)

– Built in cooperation with the HEC

– Based on the Susquehanna FWRS

– Uses static inundation areas pieced together using forecast flood elevations

– Being migrated to web GIS platform (ArcIMS initially and currently to ArcGIS Server)

SARA D/S FMRS – Present

• D/S FMRS Present Functionalities:

– Retrieval of NWS stream stage forecasts and observations using services

– Retrieval of USGS Stream Gage stage observations using services

– Allow users to define forecasts

– Retrieval of the floodplain based on the forecast

– Generic GIS functionalities (zoom in, out, pan etc.)

Example Application – SARA D/S FMRS

D/S FMRS Flood Forecast Based on User Input and Pre-rendered

Model outcomes

D/S FMRS - Future

Additional functionalities:

– Depth measurements

– Impacted Structures Report

– Response tables tools

– Others needed

Platform updates

- Upgrade from ArcIMS to ArcGIS Server JavaScript API platform is in progress

SARA D/S FMRS Migration

Conclusions• D/S FMRS application:

– Provides emergency responders with a tool to make better decision in the case of flooding when in fully operational

– Supports emergency management personnel before, during, and after flooding by providing functionalities to:

• Simulate what-if scenarios

• Plan for emergency response

• Have quick assessment reports after emergencies

Thank you!!!

Any questions???

Durmus CesurGIS Program ManagerSan Antonio River AuthorityPh.D., PMP, GISP, CFM, PEESRI Authorized & Certified InstructorESRI Enterprise Geodatabase Management and ArcGIS Desktop Associate/ProfessionalEmail: dcesur@sara-tx.orgSARA GIS Website: http://www.sara-tx.org/public_services/gis_information/