USGS Installs Storm-tide Sensors Accessible Via Mobile App

Storm-tide sensors are being installed at key locations along the Texas Gulf Coast by the U.S. Geological Survey in advance of Hurricane Harvey.

An example of a USGS storm-tide sensor. Credit: Jason Burton, USGS.

Storm surge, coastal erosion and inland flooding are among the most dangerous natural hazards unleashed by hurricanes, with the capacity to destroy homes and businesses, wipe out roads, bridges, water and sewer systems, and profoundly alter landscapes. The USGS has experts on these hazards, state-of-the-science computer models for forecasting them, and sophisticated equipment for monitoring actual flood and tide conditions.

Five USGS crews are installing around 20 storm-tide sensors today along the coastline within the areas between San Luis Pass and Corpus Christi. The equipment will be installed on bridges, piers and other structures that have a good chance of surviving a storm surge during a hurricane.

The equipment is housed in vented or non-vented steel pipes a few inches wide and about a foot long. The information they collect will help define the depth and duration of a storm-surge, as well as the time of its arrival and retreat.

That information will help public officials assess storm damage, discern between wind and flood damage, and improve computer models used to forecast future floods.

Storm-surges are increases in ocean water levels generated at sea by extreme storms and can have devastating coastal impacts. Current tracking from National Hurricane Center shows Harvey making landfall on the Texas Gulf Coast Friday evening.

Additionally, two rapid deployment gauges were installed in the Galveston Bay area along critical roadways to provide real-time information to forecast floods and coordinate flood-response activities in the affected areas. The sensors augment a network of existing USGS streamgaging stations already in place before the storm arrives.

The public can access current conditions and critical flood information throughout Texas by using the USGS “Water On-the-Go” mobile app. The mobile-friendly website/app will allow users to quickly locate USGS gauges in Texas that measure streamflow, stream height, rainfall or lake levels so that users can get up-to-date information on water conditions near where they are located. In addition, the Texas Water Dashboard presents USGS real-time stream, lake and reservoir, precipitation and groundwater data for more than 750 USGS real-time observation stations in Texas.

The USGS studies the impacts of hurricanes and tropical storms to better understand potential impacts on coastal areas. Information provided through the sensor networks provides critical data for more accurate modeling and prediction capabilities and allows for improved structure designs and response for public safety.

This USGS storm-tide sensor was installed on a pier pylon 
in Duval County, Florida, in preparation for Hurricane
Matthew's arrival in 2016; Credit: Corin Downs, USGS.

Read full article: USGS

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Taxonomy

• Technology
• Data Management
• Flood Management
• Flood management
• Flood damage
• Flood prediction
• Flood Risk Management
• Mobile Apps
• Data & Analysis