Hydrologic Real-Time Forecast Modeling and First Responder Collaboration Jorge R. Urquidi, EIT, CFM City of Austin’s Watershed Protection Department 2020 Virtual Transportation Short Course 10/14/2020 • Overview of FEWS duties • Vflo Model Overview Agenda • First Responder Collaboration/Common Operating Picture Flooding Events in The City of Austin Halloween, 2015: Austin The City of Austin Flood Early Warning System • Overview of FEWS duties • Vflo Model Overview Agenda • First Responder Collaboration/Common Operating Picture Vflo Approach • Drainage network and hydraulics determine hydrologic response without unit hydrographs • Setup with geospatial data and physically realistic parameters • Saturation and infiltration rate excess is modeled as a single layer with variation throughout the basin. • Kinematic wave grid-grid and in channels defined by surveyed cross-section, rating curves or trapezoids • Channel hydraulics include cross-section, rating curves, trapezoidal, modified Puls and looped rating curves • Continuous soil moisture tracking by adjusting climatological ET according to available soil moisture and radar rainfall in each grid cell. Drainage Network Formulation • Kinematic wave solutions at each cell are the basis for hydrograph formation, without the need for unit hydrographs. Overland • Channel geometry controlling flow in open channels is derived from surveyed cross- Channel sections, trapezoids, or rating curves defining hydraulic Calibration Parameters • Roughness, • Hydraulic Conductivity, • Soil Depth, • Initial Saturation, • Abstraction, • Channel Width, • Rainfall • Impervious Cover Summary • Vflo® is suited to watershed modeling where rainfall- runoff is governed by terrain slope. • It simulates stage/discharge for both urban and natural areas, while accounting for reservoirs/gates, hydraulics of channels, diversions, and pipe inlets. • Efficient operation with near-real time radar gage inputs makes it useful for urban flood warning, stormwater inundation prediction, and damage assessment • Desktop edition assists with model setup and calibration of storm events • Server edition supports operational, continuous hydrologic forecasting with radarbased QPE and QPF • Overview of FEWS duties • Vflo Model Overview Agenda • First Responder Collaboration/Common Operating Picture Participating Partners Thank You Jorge Urquidi [email protected].