welcome our workshop registrants, who represent the following - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The James and Marilyn Lovell Center for Environmental Geography and Hazards Research, and the International Flash Flood Laboratory welcome our workshop registrants, who represent the following entities:

Army Corps of Engineers – Fort Worth District: Hydrology and Hydraulics Section Bexar County: Infrastructure Services Capital Area Council of Governments: Homeland Security City of Llano: Building and Code Enforcement City of New Braunfels City of San Antonio: Fire/EMS, and the Office of Emergency Management Civil Air Patrol Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies and University of Oklahoma: Social Science Woven Into Meteorology David Ford Consulting Engineers Fayette County: Office of Emergency Management Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority: Engineering Halff Associates, Inc. Harris County: Flood Control District Hays County: Offices of Environmental Health and Emergency Management, and Dept. of Resource Protection, Transportation, & Planning High Sierra Electronics, Inc. KTBC-TV FOX 7-Austin: News Lower Colorado River Authority National Center for Atmospheric Research: Institute for the Study of Society and Environment National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: National Weather Service--Austin-San Antonio, Houston/Galveston, News8Austin: News West Gulf River Forecast Center, Weather Forecast Office (Fort Worth), Southern Region Headquarters; National Geodetic Survey Stephen F. Austin State University: Department of Social and Cultural Analysis Sutron Corporation Texas A&M University: Department of Atmospheric Sciences, & the Conrad Blucher Institute’s Texas Spatial Reference Center Texas Association of Counties: Information Technology, & the County Information Project Texas Department of State Health Services: Environmental and Injury Epidemiology & Toxicology Unit Texas Floodplain Management Association: Executive Office Texas State University-San Marcos: Departments of Anthropology, Geography, & the School of Journalism & Mass Communication University of Texas-San Antonio: Civil and Environmental Engineering Texas Water Development Board: National Flood Insurance Program Williamson County: Office of Emergency Management

Hydro- socio- meteoro- logy: Essential elements for flash flood mitigation and research

• Dr. Eve Gruntfest

International Flash Flood Laboratory 11th Annual Lovell Distinguished Lecture October 19, 2009 San Marcos, TX

Background - applied geographer

Social scientist in world of engineers and physical scientists

Geography professor at University of Colorado Colorado Springs for 27 years Research on flash floods and warning systems

International Flash Flood Laboratory

The Big Thompson Flood in Colorado 140 died July 31, 1976

• Who lived?
• Who died?
• Studied the behaviors

that night

• Career – “socio/hydro/

meteoro - logist”

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Today's presentation – Four part mosaic International Flash Flood Laboratory

Integrates academic, professional and governmental efforts to reduce the impacts of flash floods

International Flash Flood Laboratory Jack Lee age 6-8 1st place 2009

Four parts

International Flash Flood Laboratory

1. Examples of hydro-socio-meteor-ology at work Emphasis on social science and recent flash floods Programs and People in Action: WAS * IS, SSWIM, Isabelle Ruin Institutional collaborators from outside / inside Texas 2. Results from recent flash flood research: Warning Project, YouTube study 3. Necessity of hybrid approach 4. Looking ahead to our workshop and our work

WAS*IS WAS*IS

weather & society * integrated studies

www.sip.ucar.edu/wasis/

CULTURE CHANGE Sponsored by the NCAR Societal Impacts Program

WAS*IS WAS*IS

weather & society * integrated studies

www.sip.ucar.edu/wasis/

CULTURE CHANGE Sponsored by the NCAR Societal Impacts Program

wate ter

Why WAS * IS? As an “add on social scientist” always a few people would say after a talk ---

– I don’t know how, and… – I don’t know anyone else who does this kind of work”

“I want to do work that integrates meteorology and societal impacts BUT…

WAS*IS vision

To change the weather enterprise by comprehensively and sustainably integrating social science into meteorological and hydrological research and practice

International Flash Flood Laboratory

WAS*IS mission – building hydro-socio- meterology capacity

1. Build an interdisciplinary community of practitioners, researchers and stakeholders — from the grassroots up — dedicated to the integration of meteorology and hydrology and social science 2. Provide opportunities to learn and examine ideas, methods, and examples related to integrated weather- society work- including flash floods

International Flash Flood Laboratory International Flash Flood Laboratory

• Tools – qualitative methods, surveys, interviews
• Concepts – speaking the same language, problem definition
• Topics – intros to social sciences, vulnerability and resilience, roles of

technology, communication and use of weather information

Social Science Woven Into Meteorology (SSWIM)

The National Weather Center – Norman, OK Funded by University of Oklahoma and NOAA www.sswim.org Collaborate with International Flash Flood Laboratory

International Flash Flood Laboratory

SSWIM’s three goals

1. To weave social science into the activities of the National Weather Center and elsewhere – not an “add –on”

• 2. To earn a reputation as a center of social science

research and practice in weather and climate work

• 3. To revolutionize the research to operations equation – so

it’s no longer top-down and all partners play equal roles – decision-makers, forecasters, product designers and researchers

International Flash Flood Laboratory

SSWIM’s objectives are innovative research and capacity building

• … by increasing the appreciation of the value of

qualitative as well as quantitative approaches including archival, ethnographic, and participatory methods

• … through partnerships with public, private, and

academic sectors, including students, practitioners, and policymakers across the spectrum of stakeholders

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Social scientists use methods that are rigorous quantitative and qualitative ways to collect data and are appropriate to the discipline, research questions and study populations

• Interviews – protocols & questionnaires
• Structured
• Semi-structured
• Open interviews - i.e. stories
• Surveys – systematically administered to a defined sample
• Direct observations – researcher is embedded with group
• Participatory activities – researcher participates with group
• Focus groups – guided activities in group
• Text analysis – breakdown of verbal or written texts
• Others…

International Flash Flood Laboratory

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Laboratoire d'étude des Transferts en Hydrologie et Environnement Grenoble, France HYMeX Hydrologic cycle in Mediterranean Experiment

High impact weather events and relation to climate change impacts in the Mediterranean region

European and US project

International Flash Flood Laboratory collaborators

International Flash Flood Laboratory

International Flash Flood Laboratory collaborators - Director Konstantine P. Georgakakos KGeorgakakos@hrc-lab.org University of California San Diego

Hydrologic Research Center working with the World Meteorological Organization http://www.hrc-lab.org/index.php

Real-Time Data for Central America

Flash Flood Threat Index

International Flash Flood Laboratory

• SHAVE Project – (Severe Hail Verification Experiment) National

Severe Storms Laboratory – bringing in social science – social and physical verification

• National Weather Service Integrated Warning Team gatherings –

Kansas City, Omaha 2009

International Flash Flood Laboratory collaborators

• Meteorologists
• News Media
• Hydrologists
• Emergency Managers
• Social Scientists

International Flash Flood Laboratory

International Hydrometeorology Analysis and Forecasting Course 7-27 June 2008 Boulder, CO 21 days *****2 hours social science*****

International Flash Flood Laboratory collaborators

National Weather Service (international activities

• ffice) World Meteorological Organization

NOAA FLASH FLOOD WORKSHOP 2006 March 13-17 San José, Costa Rica http://www.nws.noaa.gov/iao/iao_FFW.php Presentations on line

US flash flood challenges Post-wildfire flash floods – California Collaborations between local governments, US Geological Survey, National Weather Service

• Debris flow warnings

International Flash Flood Laboratory

• F. Orr LA Times 9/16

LA Times R. Gauthier 9/14 R.Gauthier

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Warnings – Do these maps help?

Mapped low water crossings in Austin, TX www.ci.austin.tx.us/disasterready/lowwater.htm (are these making a difference?)

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Extreme Atlanta flooding September 24-26, 2009 >15 inches of rain in some places, problems with extreme rainfall, creeks cresting feet above historical record highs 10 deaths Calls to action - were they severe enough? Do they matter?

International Flash Flood Laboratory

How do we address nuisance events vs catastrophic events? Height of the 1997 Fort Collins, CO flash flood

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Redefining job to include social and physical sciences Change questions asked

• Who will be impacted?
• Are people awake/sleeping/ driving/coaching?
• What has happened up to this point?
• Have there already been fatalities?
• What are the TV stations saying?
• Have earlier storms been “missed”?

Always brings stakeholders to meetings & attends THEIR meetings – school superintendents, highway patrol, hospital administrators

WAS* ISer example - Daniel Nietfeld – National Weather Service Scientific Operations officer - Omaha

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Extreme speed

• f watershed

responses Extremely short lead

• time for

warnings

WAS * IS er Dr. Isabelle Ruin– New time/space analysis hydro-socio-meteoro-logy

International Flash Flood Laboratory

International Flash Flood Laboratory

What social and natural factors account for spatio- temporal distribution and severity of storm dynamics, catchment size and land use?

• Determine more effective ways to collect incident data during

flash floods

• Understand human risk perception and human behavior before,

during, and after flash flood events

• Create and use innovative models to further understand the

hydro-meteorological circumstances behind flash floods

• Determine forms of communication most effective in informing

people about the imminent danger of flash floods

• Integrate the physical and social sciences using GIS

Key research questions and tasks

Source of Photo: http://press.weather.com/content/ss220-erin-midwest_flood-mike_rescue.jpg

Daniel Pollak and Isabelle Ruin Summer 2009

Data and methods for Missouri study

Data Used

• Rainfall
• Stage IV Radar-derived
• Hydrology
• Catchments and Streams
• Stream Gauges
• Flood Impacts
• NWS Flood Reports
• Media
• Low Water Crossings
• Auxiliary Spatial Data
• Political boundaries
• Cities, Urban areas,
• Elevation
• Roads

Spatial and Temporal Analysis

• Geographic Information

Systems (GIS)  A computer- based system for management, mapping, analysis, and visualization of geo-referenced data

• Integration of physical and

social data from diverse sources

• Qualitative Analysis
• Expert Interviews
• Statistical Analysis
• Temporal analysis

International Flash Flood Laboratory

 Quality of flood reports are

inconsistent; variety of sources

 Many of the floods reports had

missing data

 Many reports were thus

deemed vague.

 Many of the locations on the

map were not defined correctly

 Points had to be manually

corrected

Point 1 moved 2km NW Point 2 moved 1.2km ESE Point 3 vague Point 4 vague Point 5 moved 2.3 km NNW Point 6 moved 10 km SE Point 7 moved 3.2 km NW Point 8 moved 4.8 km NW Point 9 moved .25 km E Point 10 moved 9.6 km NW

“Locations” of all 135 flood reports

Database development Flood report data in Missouri

Losing job = known risk Driving through flood = unknown risk Warnings are received and believed – but people think they HAVE to GO

New collaboration

• Mapping and observing driver

behavior at low water crossings in Missouri

• Cameras
• Car counting

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Organize systematic and standardized data collection Disasters Evolving Lessons Using Global Experience

 Focus on post-event field studies for floods to maximize interactions between social scientists, hydrologists and meteorologists  New guidelines on post-event investigations for use by integrated teams of physical scientists, social scientists, and practitioners

Learn from post-event investigations DELUGE

• Build a common culture and common research questions
• Foster international and interdisciplinary collaborations

FIELD Hydro-socio-meteoro-logists needed

International Flash Flood Laboratory

VULNERABILITY FACTORS INDICATORS Socio demographic and economic attributes Demography, Land use, cohesion of social structures, land values Population density Building density Association density Age, Gender, Professions Psycho-socio-cultural factors Hazard knowledge Risk perception, press coverage Warning systems, Crisis and recovery process Lead-time, Spacial accuracy Emergency response quality Communication relevency Public policy and risk management System of actors Decision making process Practices at different scales (individuals, meso-scale…) Travel patterns and mobility evolution and adaptation Infrastructures quality and accessibility Type of building, protection structures Space and time circumstancies of the event Time of the day / night Urban / rural area …

…

International Flash Flood Laboratory

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Flood and High-Flow deaths

• 80% occurred in daylight
• 90% swimming, boating, or

walking in high flows

2007 was Texas’ deadliest year Roy Sedwick

People underestimate the power of moving water & overestimate the ability to survive

Flash flood deaths

• 80% in the dark
• 90% under flash flood

watch/warning

People underestimate how fast a flash flood develops and overestimate ability to recognize in time to react

Certified floodplain manager, Lower Colorado River Authority Sr. Floodplain Coordinator

HYDRO-SOCIO-METERO-LOGIST

International Flash Flood Laboratory

2007 flood-related drownings by type of event, Texas (from Sedwick) Type of Event # of Deaths Percent

Flash Flood 42 67% High Water-Related 18 28% River Flood 3 5% Total 63 100%

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Statistics – thanks to hard work (no easy database) -- 41% female, 59% male

Age of Decedents, Texas (2007)

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% <9 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+ Age Group (Years) % of Deaths

Age range: 2 – 85 years

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Flood-related drownings by circumstances Texas (2007) (Sedwick)

Circumstances # of Deaths Percent

Vehicle 35 56% Walk/Play 13 21% Mobile Home 4 6% Boating 3 5% Swimming 5 8% Rafting/Tubing 2 3% Cave 1 2% Total 63 100%

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Circumstances of vehicle – related drownings by time of incident most people don't die – w h y?

don't focus only on the dead Estimated Time Frequency Percent Midnight - 6am 11 31% 6am - noon 3 9% Noon - 6pm 2 6% 6pm - midnight 17 48% Unknown 2 6% Total 35 100%

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Texas flood activities - Specific tasks

• Add flood safety information to Texas Driver’s Handbook and add

flood safety questions on exam

• Add flood safety to driver’s education school programs and defensive

driving

• Require flood safety training for school bus drivers
• Work with Texas Department of Transportation to activate digital

highway signs on all interstate highways

• Develop Turn Around Don’t Drown public service announcements and

video

• ASSESS baseline awareness and EVALUATE effectiveness of public

awareness campaigns – target particular populations – include in budget !

International Flash Flood Laboratory

From CoCoRahs 10/14/09 cocorahs.blogspot.com growing real-time grass roots national rainfall network

Challenge – Holding car companies accountable

How to convince people they are better Wet than Dead? Ad says: Warning: use the cup holders at your own risk

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Before our Warning Project funded by the National Science Foundation the last major research on warnings was done in the 1970s

What about cell phones, Internet, private and public sources of information? How are diverse urban populations interpreting warnings?

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Our 2003-2008 National Science Foundation project aimed to

• Evaluate impacts of

– Demographic change – New and different sources of information

• Test conventional

wisdom about

– False alarms/ close calls

International Flash Flood Laboratory

What we know about warnings – Public response components

• Hear/receive
• Understand
• Believe
• Personalize
• Decide to act
• Respond

The warning process is complex

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Warning project methodology

• Survey Development

– 1 year – Input from officials and hazards researchers

• Survey format

– Likert scale and true/false – Demographic questions – Experience with flash floods and trauma – Surveys in English & Spanish to selected respondents – Survey is available – for follow up studies

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Mail survey 6000 surveys sent to residents in or near the floodplain 1017 surveys returned

• Where do people

get their weather information?

• What is the best

way for officials to warn you about a flash flood?

International Flash Flood Laboratory

All sources of weather information used

n=935

International Flash Flood Laboratory

The best way for officials to warn you about a flash flood?

N=1020

International Flash Flood Laboratory

I take flash flood warnings seriously

n=1017 92% 8%

International Flash Flood Laboratory

I would drive through an intersection with six inches of water running across it

63% say they would NOT DRIVE through it Is this good or bad news?

International Flash Flood Laboratory

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Realizing it’s difficult to predict flash floods, I prefer more warnings even if there are more false alarms or close calls

N= 1047

Officials are too sensitive to the possibility of flash flooding

N = 1031

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Warning project findings

• Weather information requirements of each user community are

highly specialized -- there is no ONE PUBLIC

• Different languages, capabilities, economic status
• The weather research community has not focused on the

individual needs of specific user communities There is no ideal lead time RECOGNITION THAT STUDIES OF BEHAVIOR MAY TELL US MORE THAN RESEARCH ON PERCEPTIONS

International Flash Flood Laboratory

What were they thinking? Using to observe driver behavior crossing flooded roads

Cedar League Geography and Environmental Studies University of Colorado at Colorado Springs 2009

Benefits 1) Free access to data - no temporal, spatial and economic limitations 2) YouTube provides user profiles – age, location, hobbies 3) Comments and video ratings are often left by other YouTubers 4) YouTubers may be contacted by the researcher

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Quantitative analysis

• Survey questions

– Purpose of trip – Why YouTube – Sources for weather info – Awareness of warnings – Vehicle type – Familiarity with location – Closed roads or require rescue – Drive again in similar conditions – Factors influencing YouTubers to drive in flood waters – Factors influencing YouTubers to avoid flooded roads

International Flash Flood Laboratory

• 52 out of 100 surveys were returned for a total response rate of 54%
• 90% percent male, 10% female
• 81% were aged 18-35, 19% were aged 36-55
• 85% white, 15% other
• 75% completed at least some college

Respondents represented 18 different states

Results - demographics

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Qualitative analysis

Content Analysis: Variables were first recorded on a spreadsheet after viewing the videos, and used to aid in developing the online questionnaire

• Gender
• Approximate age
• # Passengers
• Vehicle type
• Driving conditions
• Presence of warning signs or officials

International Flash Flood Laboratory

YouTube study limitations

1) Non-representative sample 2) Non-random sample 3) Videos are not based on the same weather event, so results are less comparable between respondents

• Despite its limitations, this study and its methods

are useful for observational research in hazards and

• ther geographical research

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Purpose of trip

40% 37% 19% 12% 12% 10% 4% 2% 8%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Texas State University International Flash Flood Laboratory International Flash Flood Laboratory

Intentional/situational

• Intentional drivers: purpose was to film the flood water, or to

drive in the flood water (for fun). 59% (n=31)

• Situational drivers: purpose of trip was based upon their current

situation, like driving to or returning from work. 41% (n=21)

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Weather warnings

• Was a NWS warning or watch in effect?

– Yes – 61% No – 15% Not Sure – 25%

• Did the warning influence your decision to drive that day?

– 87% said No (n=28)

• Do you pay attention to warnings?

– 64% always or usually – 23% sometimes – 13% rarely or never The watch or warning…“Made me curious as to what it looked like around town”; “Motivated me to go and have fun!” “It just made me want to go driving even more because I knew there was some crazy stuff to be seen and manipulate.”

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Vehicle type

• 62% were driving a truck or SUV (n=32)
• 38% were driving a car or van (n=20)
• Confidence in the vehicle had a strong influence to cross for

truck and SUV drivers (p=0.003), compared to car and van drivers.

Survey Comments

“I love driving where others can’t… I am a mudder, I love doing things others would never think of in a car.” “I saw about six cars break down trying to get through it, and I thought it would be fun to be the one to make it through.”

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Driving on closed roads

24% admitted to driving on closed roads (n=12) All were males between the ages 18-35 Believed the roads were not dangerous (p = 0.023) Pay less attention to NWS warnings

International Flash Flood Laboratory

League’s study reaffirms what Ruin found It will take more than “better” information to change driver behavior in flash floods

Most academic programs foster uni – disciplinary approach to atmospheric or hydrologic aspects

• Academic requirements are limiting within

majors

• Students demanding more comprehensive

approaches

• Geography departments are accommodating
• Interdisciplinary degrees are possible

communication/meteorology meteorology/geography

International Flash Flood Laboratory

There are exceptions….

• Dr. Hatim Sharif University
• f Texas at San Antonio
• Ph.D. environmental

engineering –hydrology

• Invited social scientists to

his engineering classes

• Participates in community

mitigation activities

• Masters in Public Health

International Flash Flood Laboratory

International Flash Flood Laboratory metrics for success

 Good data and sustained interdisciplinary archive of flash flood information  New sustained partnerships  New hybrid social/physical scientists/engineers  Reduced losses  ALL OF THE ABOVE

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Reviewing the presentation's four parts

International Flash Flood Laboratory

1. Hydro-socio-meteor-ology at work Programs and people in action: WAS * IS, SSWIM, Isabelle Ruin Institutional collaborators from outside / inside Texas Emphasis on social science and recent flash floods 2. Results from recent flash flood research: Warning Project, YouTube study 3. Necessity of hybrid approach 4. Looking ahead to our workshop and our work

What did the most influential players in flash flood research and practice look like prior to today’s workshop?

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Hydro-socio-meteoro-logists are NOT the same people with new models or gadgets!

International Flash Flood Laboratory

IFFL partners are changing the uni- dimensional culture

International Flash Flood Laboratory

National Weather Service hydrologists

Private forecasters Environmental groups Local Communities

Hydro-socio-meteoro-logy occurs when stovepipes are not the model

Universities International Agencies Geographers Research Centers Urban Drainage Districts Anthropologists Broadcast meteorologists Utilities

National Weather Service meteorologists

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Flash floods – Recurring problem: plenty of work for International Flash Flood Laboratory Louisville

8/5/2009

International Flash Flood Laboratory

AP Photo/ News & Record, H. Scott Hoffmann

Greensboro, NC 6/03/2009

THANKS TO

• Dr. Pam Showalter for her vision

and hard work to bring us all together today and… from now

• n in sustainable ways
• Dr. Isabelle Ruin for continuing to

inspire applied flash flood research in the US and in Europe All of YOU who are committed to reducing flood losses across agencies, geographic boundaries, and disciplines

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Natalie Zook Age 9-11 1st place

We're in it for the long haul and we will be creative

Special thanks to Roy Sedwick for decades of work to collect data, reduce losses, and increase awareness of the flash flood hazards in Texas and in the US

International Flash Flood Laboratory

More possibilities under the International Flash Flood Laboratory umbrella

• More local workshops on data

collections or learning from experiences

• Bringing in more associations,

agencies, companies, universities, local governments

• New courses in flash flood

mitigation that emphasize – Hydrology, meteorology and social science methods

• Research evaluating program

effectiveness

International Flash Flood Laboratory

TODAY we will add to this list (funding possibilities?)

The James and Marilyn Lovell Center for Environmental Geography and Hazards Research, and the International Flash Flood Laboratory welcome our workshop registrants, who represent the following entities:

Army Corps of Engineers – Fort Worth District: Hydrology and Hydraulics Section Bexar County: Infrastructure Services Capital Area Council of Governments: Homeland Security City of Llano: Building and Code Enforcement City of New Braunfels City of San Antonio: Fire/EMS, and the Office of Emergency Management Civil Air Patrol Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies and University of Oklahoma: Social Science Woven Into Meteorology David Ford Consulting Engineers Fayette County: Office of Emergency Management Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority: Engineering Halff Associates, Inc. Harris County: Flood Control District Hays County: Offices of Environmental Health and Emergency Management, and Dept. of Resource Protection, Transportation, & Planning High Sierra Electronics, Inc. KTBC-TV FOX 7-Austin: News Lower Colorado River Authority National Center for Atmospheric Research: Institute for the Study of Society and Environment National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: National Weather Service--Austin-San Antonio, Houston/Galveston, News8Austin: News West Gulf River Forecast Center, Weather Forecast Office (Fort Worth), Southern Region Headquarters; National Geodetic Survey Stephen F. Austin State University: Department of Social and Cultural Analysis Sutron Corporation Texas A&M University: Department of Atmospheric Sciences, & the Conrad Blucher Institute’s Texas Spatial Reference Center Texas Association of Counties: Information Technology, & the County Information Project Texas Department of State Health Services: Environmental and Injury Epidemiology & Toxicology Unit Texas Floodplain Management Association: Executive Office Texas State University-San Marcos: Departments of Anthropology, Geography, & the School of Journalism & Mass Communication University of Texas-San Antonio: Civil and Environmental Engineering Texas Water Development Board: National Flood Insurance Program Williamson County: Office of Emergency Management

Flash flood references

Environmental Hazards 2007 -- Volume 7

• C. Benight, E.Gruntfest, M. Hayden, L. Barnes Trauma and short-fuse weather warning

perceptions

• S. Drobot C. Benight, E. Gruntfest Risk factors for driving into flooded roads
• M. Hayden, S. Drobot, S. Radil, C. Benight, E. Gruntfest, L. Barnes Information sources

for flash flood warnings in Denver, CO and Austin, TX

• I.Ruin, J-C. Gaillard, C. Lutoff How to get there? Assessing motorists’ flash flood risk

perception on daily itineraries

International Flash Flood Laboratory

Clark County Regional Flood Control District http://www.ccrfcd.org

Statistical Analysis

• Most small catchments

needed <110 mm to cause reaction.

• Most large sized

catchments needed rainfall > 140 mm to cause reaction. 77 % of incidents outdoor (category 1 & 3)

• 77 % occurred in

catchments <200 km2

• Category 1: # of incidents

increase by size of catchment.

• Most Cat 2 incidents in

evening.

• Most Cat 3 incidents

during day

• Most Cat 1 incidents

5pm-5am

What can the IFFL do?

Data collection Research Education Communication

What for? What kinds of data? What study areas? What scales to focus

• n?

Who contribute to data collection? What methods? What structure/resources to assume that role? … What are the current states of awareness? Efficacy of education campaigns, signs? What factors shape appropriate behaviors? How to improve hydro- meteorological models? What communication technologies for faster warnings? …. Who to target first? What messages to convey? What strategies to adopt? ….