Flash Flood Pilot Project: Prepared for Texas Department of State Health Services and

1. Flash Flood Pilot Project: Prepared for Texas Department of State Health Services and Texas Flash Flood Coalition Sarah Eason, Mark Tijerina, Cooper Sims, John Paul Rodriquez

2. Summary The implementation of a statewide GIS for • Low Water Crossings (LWCs) • Swift Water Rescues (SWRs) • Would provide the Texas Flash Flood Coalition (TFFC) and other Texas agencies with a better understanding of the relationship between the number and locations of these sites • Would present spatial resources that can be used to prevent future deaths and injuries related to flash floods. 8. < www.texasescapes.com/.../Cypress-Mill-Texas.htm>

3. Purpose • Currently, no known database exists containing LWCs in Texas, and the SWR records are little more than lists of incidences. • Elite Water Rescue Prevention Consultants (EWRP Consultants) will create a GIS containing both documented and potential LWC sites as well as SWRs reported in 2007. • This is essential for achieving a way to answer the questions surrounding the fact of Texas’ anomalously high number of flood-related fatalities. 9. < www.corkcityfirebrigade.ie/.../waterrescue/>

4. Scope • LWC Data • SWR Data from 2007 • To be entered in order of highest number of fatalities: • 15 (red) counties • 31 (green) counties • 78 (blue) counties • remaining 130 counties 6. < www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/floods/photopage.html>

5. Data • Texas Natural Resources Information System (TNRIS) • Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) • State Fire Marshall’s Office • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) http://www.floodsafety.com/media/maps/texas/texasscarp760.jpg Flash Flood Alley

6. Methodology • Geocode SWR data • Analysis of Potential LWC

7. Methodology

8. Expected Results • Create an extensive GIS for Low Water Crossing sites as well as potential Low Water Crossing sites that have not yet been documented. • Maps showing the locations of all of the Swift Water Rescues that occurred in 2007 . • Spatial correlation between the location of the Swift Water Rescue and the location of the nearest Low Water Crossing. • Answering the questions surrounding Texas’ extremely high rate of flood related fatalities. www.geo.txstate.edu/lovellfloodlab

9. Budget • Data Acquisition: 2 consultants working 10 hrs. per week for 5 weeks and 2 consultants working 5 hours per week for 5 weeks So total hours are 125 and they make $40 per hour bringing the total to $5,000.00 • Data Analysis: 3 consultants working 10 hrs. per week for 5 weeks 2 consultants working 7 hrs. per week for 2.5 weeks 2 consultants working 5 hrs. per week for 2.5 weeks The total cost for data analysis comes out to $8,400 • System Management: Project Manager-works 50 hours at $65 per hour bringing the total to $3,250.00 Assistant Manager- works 30 hours at $55 per hour bringing the total to $1,650.00 Web Developer- works 15 hours at $45 per hour bringing the total to $675.00 GIS Analyst- works 20 hours at $20 per hour bringing the total to $400 The total cost for system management is $5,975.00

10. Budget • Equipment Cost (10 weeks): Supplies- 1 cell phone at $40 for 2.5 months brings the total to $100 and 2 computers at $650 per month for 2.5 months brings the total to $3,250. Maintenance- We have 4 workstations costing $145 each which totals $580 Depreciation- The total cost of depreciation for the equipment totals $272.91 (Value/Life*Use) • Data: 4 Software Licenses bought from ESRI at $2,500 each which totals $10,000 • Total Cost for Entire project: $33,587.91

11. Timeline • Data Acquisition Weeks 1-3: Research and download applicable project data from: -TNRIS for DEMs, County Roads and County Boundaries -NOAA for Daily Precipitation Levels -ESRI for North American Hydrology • Processing/Analysis Weeks 4-8: Process and conduct analysis on the following: -Geocode existing SWR data from 2007 Excel file -Identify LWC for target counties using topographic, hydrologic, and transportation datasets -Determine and analyze a buffer on any road found to be within LWC crossing zone • Web Design Weeks 8-9: Web design will include the following: -Creation, design and layout of project website -Upload all finalized documents, maps and digital data -Verify all website content, links and pages • Final Deliverables Weeks 9-10: Final Deliverables will include: -Produce all final reports and maps -Create final presentation -Incorporate all project media along with instructional use on CD -Produce final project poster

12. Timeline

13. Final Deliverables • EWRP Consultants will provide: • Detailed final report with all maps • A Professional Poster • Website dedicated to the project • Two CDs containing • All data • Metadata • Report • PowerPoint Presentation • Instructions explain the usage of the CD • Readme file

14. Conclusion • EWRP Consultants will establish the first GIS for SWR and LWC. • Provide information better understand LWC and how they interact with SWR. • Be better equipped to handle the many unanswered questions about LWC and SWR. • Helpful to perform complex analysis and clarify spatial relationships needed by the TFFC. • GIS could be built on to in an attempt to clarify safety and educate of the communities in the red, green and blue counties in Texas.

15. Reference • Pam Showalter – Co-director International Flash Flood Laboratory • Yongmei Lu – International Flash Flood Laboratory • Hatim Sharif – Texas Flash Flood Coalition • Marshal Frech – Texas Flash Flood Safety • David Zane – TDSHS (Disaster Epidemiologist, Community Preparedness Section) • Crystal Beasley – EMS/Trauma Registry group • Tracy Haywood – GIS Lead – Community Preparedness Section • Russ Jones – Epidemiologist, Health Service, Region 7

16. Participation • Project Manager • Sarah Eason – Introduction (Summary, Purpose, Scope,) Data, Methodology, and Implications • Assistant Project Manager/Web Master • J. P. Rodriguez – Final Deliverables, Conclusion, Reference, Participation, and Logo • GIS Analyst • Cooper Sims– Chief Researcher, Logo, Budget, and Cover page • GIS Analyst • Mark J. Tijerina – Timetable, Timeline, Table of Contents, Proposal Design and Format and Maps