Real Time Flood Alert System (RTFAS)

Néstor J. Rodríguez

SoReL Lab.Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez

Mayagüez, Puerto Rico

Existing Flood Alert System

USGS Gaging Stations CD Gaging Stations

NWS Doppler Radar

NWS ASA CD PREPA

Real Time Flood Alert System

USGS Gaging Stations CD Gaging Stations

NWS Doppler Radar

NWS ASA CD PREPA

RTFAS

USGS & Civil Defense Rainfall Data Collection Network 17 Basins

Over 120 data collection stations from USGS

34 data collection stations from CD

Five types of measurements• Rainfall• River discharge• River level• Lake level• Lake discharge

La Plata Basin Stations Sensors

14 Rainfall sensors (RF1-RF14)

4 River level sensors (RL1-RL4

4 River discharge sensors (RD1-RD4)

2 Lake level sensors (LL1-LL2)

2 Lake discharge sensors (LD1-LD2)

Types of Independent Events

RF- Rainfall Report

RD- River Discharge Report

RL- River Level Report

LL- Lake Level Report

LD- Lake Discharge Report

RAD- Radar Detection

NWS- National Weather Service Bulletin

EIC- Emergency Information Center Report

IR- Information Requests

OE- Other Events

Types of Dependent Events for Water Company Procedures on La Plata Basin

RFA- Rainfall Accumulation on a station

MAJ- Majority of Stations within a range of rainfall accumulation

HRD- High River Discharge

HRL- High River Level

HLL- High Lake Level

RW- Risk Watch

MR- Moderate Risk

HR- High Risk

EP- Event in Progress

List of Independent Events

RF1-RF14 (rainfall sensors report)

RL1-RL4 (river level sensors reports)

RD1-RD4 (river discharge sensors reports)

LL1-LL2 (lake level sensors reports)

LD1-LD2 (lake discharge sensors reports)

RAD1 (atmospheric system with potential intense, expanded or extended rainfall)

RAD2 (atmospheric system with potential intense, expanded or extended rainfall has started)

RAD3 (atmospheric system with intense, expanded or extended rainfall is in progress)

List of Independent Events (Cont.)

NWS1 (rainfall watch)

NWS2 (flash flood watch)

NWS3 (rainfall warning)

NWS4 (flash flood warning)

NWS5 (rainfall in progress)

EIC1 (atmospheric system with significant rainfall has been visually detected)

EIC2 (start of significant rainfall has been confirmed)

EIC3 (significant rainfall in progress has been confirmed)

IR1 (information request)

OE1(saturated soil)

List of Dependent Events

RFA1- RFA14 (accumulation between .25 to .5 inches)

RFA15-RF28 (accumulation of more than .5 inches)

RFA29-RFA42 (accumulation between .5 to .75 inches)

RFA43-RFA56 (accumulation of more than .75 inches)

RFA57-RFA70 (accumulation between 2 to 3 inches)

RFA71-RFA84 (accumulation of more than 3 inches)

RFA85-RFA98 (accumulation between 3 to 4 inches)

RFA99-RFA112 (accumulation of more than 4 inches)

MAJ1 (majority of RFA1 through RFA14 take place)

MAJ2 (majority of RFA29 through RFA42 take place)

MAJ3 (majority of RF57 through RFA70 take place)

MAJ4 (majority of RFA85 through RFA98 take place)

List of Dependent Events (Cont.)

HRD1-HRD4 (RD > critical value)

HRL1-HRL4 (RL > critical value)

HLL1-HLL2 (LL > critical value)

RW (Risk Watch)

MR- (Moderate Risk)

HR- (High Risk)

EP- (Event in Progress)

RW Event

NWS2EIC2RAD1 NWS1

RW

MR Event

RAD2 NWS3NWS4

EIC2

HRD1

HRD4

HLL1 HLL2

HRL1

HRL4

OE1

MR

HR Event

RFA71

RFA84

MAJ1 MAJ3RFA15

RFA28

HRD1

HRD4

HLL1 HLL2

HRL1

HRL4

OE1

HR

NWS5 EIC3RAD3

EP Event

RFA43

RFA56

MAJ2 MAJ4RFA99

RFA112

HRD1

HRD4

HLL1 HLL2

HRL1

HRL4

OE1

EP

MAJ2 Event

RFA30

RFA42

MAJ2

RFA29

RF2

RF14

RF1

HRD, HRL & HLL Events

HRD2

HRD4

HRD1

RD2

RD4

RD1

HRL2

HRL4

HRL1

RL2

RL4

RL1

HLL2

HLL1

LL2

LL1