1/3/2019 USGS Florida Hurricane Information

Caribbean­Florida Water Science Center

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USGS Response to Hurricanes Florida Hurricane Information CFWSC had been responding to the rains and flooding being forecast by ensuring that USGS real­time gages are operational and providing critical information on river stage Introduction and rainfall to the public, National Weather Service, and emergency management officials. In addition, USGS will deploy staff to make streamflow measurements at Preventing flood hazards, such as hurricane­induced tidal surge, from becoming human streamgages across the state to verify and update the river stage and streamflow disasters requires an understanding of the relative risks floods pose to specific discharge ratings. These ratings are critical for determining the volume of water that communities and knowledge of the processes by which flood waters rise, converge, passes a streamgaging station at any given river stage and are used in issuing flood and abate. Historically, hurricane­induced tidal surge has been documented through warnings, mapping floodplains, monitoring water­quality and environmental conditions, measurement of high­water marks left on structures or vegetation. These remnant and managing water resources signals are not always reliable or accurate, however, and do not provide quantitative information about the timing of flooding, the sequencing of multiple paths by which Hurricane Michael ­ October 2018 storm­surge waters arrive, or the magnitude of waves. Tropical storm Isaac ­ September 2018 DATA CENTER Hurricane María ­ Sep 2017 To gain better knowledge about the effects of hurricanes, the U.S. Geological Survey Hurricane Irma ­ Sep 2017 Real­time data Caribbean­Florida Water Science Center (USGS­CFWSC), in cooperation with municipal, Hurricane Matthew ­ Oct 2016 Streamflow State, and Federal agencies, uses two monitoring approaches to measure the timing, Groundwater magnitude, and duration of hurricane tidal surge. The first approach uses the existing Hurricane Matthew ­ USGS Recovers Storm Tide Sensors Water quality fixed network of gages that provide "real­time" data on water levels, and the second Precipitation uses tidal­surge sensors that are temporarily­deployed in advance of hurricanes. Reservoirs

Historical data Real­Time Monitoring Network Streamflow Groundwater The USGS maintains a network of 95 real­time Water quality gaging stations along the Florida coast. Seventy­ Annual Data Reports seven of those sites are located along the Gulf Water Use Coast and 18 along the Atlantic. These stations record data at 15­minute intervals that are WaterWatch available on the web at fl.water.usgs.gov, and Duration Plots include measurements of water level, velocity, Floods/High flows specific conductance, salinity, temperature, DroughtWatch turbidity, pH, chlorophyll, blue green algae and dissolved oxygen. The real­time network monitors Groundwater a large range of hydrologic conditions, from Active Water Level Network droughts to floods, and provides the data on the Below Normal Groundwater web for a broad base of stakeholders. In the 0:00 / 2:05 Levels event of a hurricane, the real­time network allows Climate Response Network individuals to monitor the storm­surge data in Transcript: See more Credits: See more Long­Term Groundwater near real time (maximum 1­hour delay). Data Network Depending on the elevation of the gage­house structure, real­time gages may be at risk of being Monitoring Websites inundated by flood waters during extreme storm Hurricane Links USGS WaterAlert Barometric­pressure sensor deployed at surges. Water­level Conditions in USGS Science: Before, During and After the Storm WS_19 Imperial River. South Florida USGS Coastal Change Hazards Program South Florida Coastal USGS Storm­tide Documentation Program Stations Temporary Deployment of Hurricane Storm Surge Sensors Florida Division of Emergency Management SERT (State Emergency Response Everglades Depth Estimation Team) ­ Hurricane Preparedness Network (EDEN) Florida DOT hurricane information To augment the real­time gaging network, a SERT Evacuation Route and Zone Maps: Hurricane evacuation planning tools temporary network of more than 80 hurricane USGS Cooperative Water Interactive Tide Table storm­surge sensors can be deployed prior to a Program National Weather Service National Hurricane Center hurricane that record data at 30­second intervals. National Weather Service Rip Current Information USGS IN YOUR STATE As part of this monitoring approach, water­level and barometric­pressure sensors are deployed to areas of projected hurricane landfall. The addition Hurricane Publications https://fl.water.usgs.gov/flood/hurricane/ 1/2 1/3/2019 USGS Florida Hurricane Information USGS Water Science Centers are of these sensors creates a concentrated network 2013 CIRC 1390: Meeting the science needs of the Nation in the wake of Hurricane located in each state. of storm­surge monitors that provide more Sandy—A U.S. Geological Survey science plan for support of restoration and spatially­dense information on hurricane tidal recovery ; Buxton, H.T., Andersen, M.E., Focazio, M.J., Haines, J.W., Hainly, R.A., surge. For example, temporary deployment of Hippe, D.J., and Sugarbaker, L.J. sensors in the projected hurricane path can be 2010 OFR 2010–1142: Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Fay, August 15 placed to monitor the escalation and attenuation through September 26, 2008 ; Verdi, Richard J.; Holt, Sandra L. of the hurricane storm surge along coastal rivers 2007 DS 294: Monitoring the Storm Tide of Hurricane Wilma in Southwestern and across barrier islands, low­lying areas, and Florida, October 2005 ; Soderqvist, Lars E.; Byrne, Michael J. wetlands. After the passing of a storm the 2005 FS 2005­3028: Floods in southwest­central Florida from hurricane Frances, locations of the temporarily­deployed sensors September 2004 ; Kane, Richard L must be surveyed to a known elevation. The 2005 OFR 2005­1277: Hydrologic effects of the 2004 hurricane season in northwest Water­level sensor deployed at WS_26A USGS has successfully deployed temporary tidal Florida ; Verdi, Richard Jay Marco Island Bayside. surge­networks for Hurricanes Rita (2005), Wilma 1998 WRIR 98­4231: Hurricane Georges: Headwater Flooding, Storm Surge, Beach (2005), Gustav (2008), Ike (2008), Irene (2011), Erosion, and Habitat Destruction on the Central Gulf Coast ;urnipseed, D. Phil, and Tropical Storm Ernesto (2006). Giese, Gerald L., Pearman, J. Leroy, Farris, Gaye S., Krohn, M. Dennis, and Sallenger, Asbury H., Jr. Summary 1994 OFR 94­116: Storm­tide elevations produced by Hurricane Andrew along the southern Florida coasts, August 24, 1992 ;Murray, Mitchell H. The use of existing fixed network stations along with temporarily­deployed water­level 1980 HA 640: Hurricane Frederic tidal floods of September 12­13, 1979, along the and barometric pressure sensors provides a cost­effective hurricane storm­surge Gulf Coast, Gulf Breeze­Fort Barrancas quadrangles, Florida ; Franklin, Marvin A.; monitoring network for Florida. The combined networks effectively leverage resources Scott, John C. of over 10 cooperative funding agencies in Florida to monitor hurricane storm surge. 1980 HA 639: Hurricane Frederic tidal floods of September 12­13, 1979, along the The data are a valuable resource for emergency preparedness agencies to better Gulf Coast, West Pensacola quadrangle, Florida ; Franklin, Marvin A.; Bohman, protect public safety, for engineers to improve structural design of coastal Larry R. infrastructures, and for oceanographers to evaluate and improve hurricane storm­ 1980 HA 638: Hurricane Frederic tidal floods of September 12­13, 1979, along the surge computer models. Gulf Coast, Perdido Bay quadrangle, Florida ; Scott, John C.; Franklin, Marvin A. Flood Information The 100­year flood Flood fact sheet (2 Mb PDF) Flood FAQs Large Floods in the United States How much water flows during a storm?

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