Storm Wave Characteristics
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FOCUSED STUDY REPORTS STORM WAVE CHARACTERISTICS p Storm Wave Characteristics FEMA Coastal Flood Hazard Analysis and Mapping Guidelines Focused Study Report February 2005 Focused Study Leader Shyamal Chowdhury, Ph.D., CFM Team Members Robert Battalio, P.E. Carmela Chandrasekera, Ph.D. Ian Collins, Ph.D. Jeff Gangai, CFM Darryl Hatheway, CFM Ron Noble, P.E. Dick Seymour, Ph.D., P.E. 1 FEMA COASTAL FLOOD HAZARD ANALYSIS AND MAPPING GUIDELINES FOCUSED STUDY REPORTS STORM WAVE CHARACTERISTICS Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Storm Wave Characteristics Focused Study Group...................................................... 2 2 CRITICAL TOPICS .................................................................................................................. 3 2.1 Topics 4 and 5: Swell and Sea – Pacific Coast............................................................. 3 2.1.1 Description of Topic and Suggested Improvement ....................................... 3 2.1.2 Description of Procedures in the Existing Guidelines ................................... 4 2.1.3 Applications of Existing Guidelines for Pacific Coast .................................. 4 2.1.4 Alternatives for Improvement........................................................................ 4 2.1.5 Recommendations........................................................................................ 14 2.1.6 Preliminary Time Estimates for Guideline Improvement............................ 15 2.2 Topics 4 and 5: Offshore Wave Data for Atlantic and Gulf Coasts ........................... 15 2.2.1 Description of Topic and Suggested Improvement ..................................... 15 2.2.2 Description of Procedures in the Existing Guidelines ................................. 16 2.2.3 Applications of Existing Guidelines for Atlantic and Gulf Coasts (Waves and Swell) ....................................................................................... 18 2.2.4 Alternatives for Improvement...................................................................... 18 2.2.5 Recommendations........................................................................................ 22 2.2.6 Preliminary Time Estimate and Cost for Guideline Improvement .............. 23 2.3 Topic 5: Use Nearshore Representation of Wind Waves Rather Than Offshore Wave Hindcast- Specific to Southern California Bight.............................................. 26 2.3.1 Description of the Topic and Suggested Improvement................................ 26 2.3.2 Description of the Procedure in the Existing Guidelines............................. 26 2.3.3 Applications of Existing Guidelines to Topic.............................................. 26 2.3.4 Alternatives to Improvement ....................................................................... 26 2.3.5 Recommendations........................................................................................ 26 2.3.6 Preliminary Time Estimate .......................................................................... 27 2.4 Topic 5: Wave Generation in Sheltered Waters – Pacific Coast ................................ 27 2.4.1 Description of the Topic and Suggested Improvement................................ 27 2.4.2 Description of Procedures in the Existing Guidelines ................................. 27 2.4.3 Application of Existing Guidelines to Topic-History and/or Implications for the NFIP ............................................................................ 28 2.4.4 Alternatives for Improvement...................................................................... 28 2.4.5 Recommendations........................................................................................ 42 2.4.6 Preliminary Time Estimates for Guideline Preparation............................... 43 2.4.7 Related Available and Important Topics if Any.......................................... 43 3 AVAILABLE TOPIC................................................................................................................ 44 3.1 Wave Definition- Atlantic/Gulf and Pacific (Topic 1) ............................................... 44 3.1.1 Description of the Topic and Suggested Improvement................................ 44 3.1.2 Confirm Availability.................................................................................... 45 3.1.3 Preliminary Time Estimates for Guideline Improvement Preparation. ....... 45 3.2 Wave Generation in Sheltered Water–Atlantic/Gulf Coasts ...................................... 45 3.2.1 Description of the Topic and Suggested Improvement................................ 45 i FEMA COASTAL FLOOD HAZARD ANALYSIS AND MAPPING GUIDELINES FOCUSED STUDY REPORTS STORM WAVE CHARACTERISTICS 3.2.2 Confirm Availability.................................................................................... 46 3.2.3. Preliminary Time Estimates for Guideline Preparation............................... 46 4 ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS............................................................................................... 46 5 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................. 46 5.1 Critical Topics............................................................................................................. 47 5.2 Available Topics......................................................................................................... 48 6 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................ 48 7 REFERENCES......................................................................................................................... 51 Tables Table 1 Storm Wave Characteristics Topics and Priorities ............................................................ 1 Table 2 Revised Wave Characteristics Topics and Priorities (Post Workshop 1)......................... 2 Table 3 Summary of Findings and Recommendations Storm Wave Characteristics .................. 48 Table 4 Preliminary Time and Cost Estimate for Guideline Improvement Preparation............... 50 Figures 1 Illustration of WIS hindcast area for northern part of the Pacific Coast. ........................ 7 2 WIS stations in the Southern California Bight. ............................................................... 8 3 NDBC buoy locations (southern California). .................................................................. 9 4 NODC buoy locations in the North Pacific. .................................................................... 9 5 Summary of CDIP buoy locations and dates of installation.......................................... 10 6 Example of wave forecast from WAVEWATCH III. ................................................... 11 7 Examples of available locations for GROW hindcasts.................................................. 13 8 Example of WIS locations. ............................................................................................ 20 9 Example of WIS time series. ......................................................................................... 20 10 Example of WIS statistical summaries. ......................................................................... 21 11 NDBC buoy stations (East Coast, Partial)..................................................................... 21 12 Example of wave forecast from WAVEWATCH III. ................................................... 23 13 Example of swell forecast from WAVEWATCH III. ................................................... 24 14 Examples of available locations for GROW hindcasts.................................................. 25 15 Fastest mile windspeed vs. duration. ............................................................................. 30 16 Windspeed ratio to 1 – hour windspeed vs. duration..................................................... 31 17 Illustration of restricted fetch method............................................................................ 33 18 An example of a spreading function.............................................................................. 35 19 Composite fetch method application at Sandy Point, WA. ........................................... 36 20 Bimodal wave spectra.................................................................................................... 37 21 A sample comparison of SWAN Model results with measured data. ........................... 39 ii FEMA COASTAL FLOOD HAZARD ANALYSIS AND MAPPING GUIDELINES FOCUSED STUDY REPORTS STORM WAVE CHARACTERISTICS Acronyms 2-D two-dimensional ACES Automated Coastal Engineering System CDIP Coastal Data Information Program CEM Coastal Engineering Manual CHL Coastal Hydraulics Laboratory FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency FIS Flood Insurance Study FNMOC Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center FNWC Fleet Numerical Weather Center GROW Global Reanalysis of Ocean Waves IAHR International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research ICCE International Conference on Coastal Engineering JONSWAP Joint North Sea Wave Project MII Meteorology International, Inc. NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA-NCEP National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-National Centers for Environmental Prediction PWA Philip Williams and Associates SEMs Spectral