Sarah Grunau/Houston Public Media
Flood warnings and weather alert systems have been top of mind in Texas since a wall of rainwater surged down the Guadalupe River early July 4, washing away homes and businesses and leading to the deaths of at least 130 people in the Hill Country, many of whom were visiting from the Houston area.
Flood-prone Harris County has had a flooding alert system since the 1980s, but only a relatively small number of its 5 million residents seem to know about it. Only about 14,000 residents are signed up to receive alerts through the Harris County Flood Control District’s Flood Warning System, according to agency spokesperson Emily Woodell.
“Obviously, when you look at a region as large as Harris County, not that many people are tapping into this resource,” she said. “It might be a little bit unknown that people are able to use it.”
Those who register for the free service at fwsalerts.org can choose to receive text messages or emails about rainfall amounts and water levels within the Houston area’s many bayous and channels. There are more than 350 rain gauge sensors stationed across the region, Woodell said, and those who sign up for the alerts can request to receive localized information near their homes, schools or workplaces – or information for the entire county.
RELATED: When every phone alert sounds the same, Texans may miss the one that matters
“You can sign up for as many gauges as you want,” Woodell said.
The data created by the series of sensors is automatically published on the flood control district’s social media channels, according to Woodell, who said the information is also shared with local elected officials and utilized by local television stations.
And it’s used as part of flood mitigation planning.
“We work with dozens of entities, in Harris County and around Harris County, to look at how water is coming into the county and also how it’s moving within the county,” Woodell said. “It’s important to help us understand what happens on the ground during a flood event. We can analyze where potential future improvements are needed.”
For individual residents and their families, Woodell said receiving real-time rainfall and flooding data directly can promote “peace of mind” and help with decision-making during emergencies – such as the recent deadly flooding in Central Texas.
“The flooding in the Hill Country has been so devastating to watch,” Woodell said. “As we learn more about the impact, it’s just been so heavy. In Harris County, we’re no strangers to flooding. Our flooding looks a little different, but it happens nevertheless.
“The more people feel empowered to have that data at their fingertips,” she added, “I think the safer we all are in the long run.”
Great Job & the Team @ Houston Public Media Source link for sharing this story.
