HYDROLOGY OUTREACH AND URBAN SPRAWL

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HYDROLOGY OUTREACH AND URBAN SPRAWL

• National Hydrologic Program Managers Conference
• Southern Region - Regional Breakout Session
• July 12, 2007
• Kansas City, MO
• Patricia Brown
• Senior Service Hydrologist
• NWS WFO New Orleans/Baton Rouge LA

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NWFO LIXHYDROLOGIC SERVICES AREA(HSA)

• HSA does not include
• Red River
• Homochitto River
• Includes Atchafalaya River
• in the following Parishes
• Avoyelles
• St. Landry
• St. Martin
• Iberia
• St. Mary

• HSA extends into Lake Charles, LA County Warning
  Area (CWA)

• New Orleans/Baton Rouge CWA includes
• 22 Louisiana Parishes
• 8 Mississippi Counties

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Location, Location, Location!
Elevation at Slidell 9 Feet
Elevation at Carriere, MS 98 Feet
Elevation at Port Vincent 7 Feet
Elevation at Baton Rouge 46 Feet
Elevation at Hammond 44 Feet

• Fort Massachusetts, MS 0 Feet

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Location, Location, Location!Coastlines gtgt
Hurricanes And Tropical Storms

• Adverse Outcomes
• Damaging High Winds
• Storm Surge Flooding
• Heavy Rainfall
• Flash Flooding/ Mainstream Flooding
• Complicating Factors for Hydrology
• Uncertainties surrounding Hurricanes Future
  Course versus Hurricanes Intensity

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Location, Location, Location!Just the Facts,
Please.

• Most Louisianans live in the southern portion of
  the state, with the two largest Combined
  Statistical Areas in our HSA/County Warning Area
  (CWA).
• New Orleans/Metairie/Bogalusa CSA 1,069,428
  residents
• Baton Rouge/Pierre Part CSA 789,986
  residents
• Mississippis second largest Combined Statistical
  Area is in our HSA/CWA.
• Gulfport/Biloxi/Pascagoula CSA 380,309
  residents
• The lack of slope in the terrain, urbanization,
  and the many miles of coastlines place many
  residents and visitors in a precarious situation,
  with regard to flooding. Building often occurs
  in flood-prone areas.
• The virtual shoreline for the region is actually
  along Interstate 12 in Louisiana and
• U. S. Highway 90 in Mississippi.
• Significant expenditures to mitigate potential
  flooding and provide warnings.
• Diversion channels Flood gates New and
  Replaced Gages
• Levees Farm Dams Generators on DCPS (147)
• CSA Populations estimated by the DOC/United
  States Census Bureau, as of 07/01/2006.

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Sprawl, Yall!Issues for the Region

• East Baton Rouge Parish is home to Louisiana's
  state capital, Baton Rouge.
• As of 2000, the population was 412,852 in the
  parish.
• East Baton Rouge Parish saw an influx of 200,000
  to 250,000 new residents after Hurricane Katrina,
  which temporarily made East Baton Rouge Parish
  the largest in the state.
• St. Tammany Parish and all of the Northshore
  communities in Washington and Tangipahoa Parishes
  have grown as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
• As of 2000, the population of St. Tammany Parish
  was 191,268.
• In 2004, the population was estimated to have
  grown to 212,000.
• After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the population
  was estimated at 264,000.
• Most new residents are thought to have come from
  St. Bernard Parish.
• If correct, these figures make St. Tammany Parish
  the fastest-growing parish in the state,
• overtaking Livingston Parish and Ascension
  Parish.
• Picayune, Mississippi in Pearl River County had
  major increases in population as a result of
  Hurricane Katrina.
• As of 2000, there were 10,535 people in Picayune.
• The population according to the 2006 census
  estimate was 20,000.
• Currently, New Orleans, located in Orleans and
  Jefferson Parishes, has about 255,000 residents,
  or 56 of its pre-Katrina population.
• In 2000, New Orleans had 484,674 residents.
• Mayor Nagin believes there are about 300,000
  residents in the city.

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Sprawl, Yall!Issues for the Region

• Overtaxed infrastructures in many areas money
  for flood-related projects
• Shifts in the Emergency Management community
  from FEMA to MEMA to LAOEP
• Crowding and traffic issues
• Community and personal services delays
• Decreased housing availability
• Rebuilding in flood zones
• Uninformed Visitors
• Many not familiar with our weather hazards
• Many not familiar with precautions and safety
  measures
• Hurricanes and tropical storms
• Heavy rains/flooding
• Severe Weather
• Many not familiar with evacuation procedures and
  routes
• Repopulation of the region includes
• New residents from other parts of the country and
  world

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AHPS
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Flood Safety Turn Around Dont Drown (TADD)
http//tadd.weather.gov
NSC Brochure
NWS Brochure
The Hidden Danger Video
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National Flood Safety Awareness Week March
19-23, 2007

• Daily Themes
• TADD
• Tropical Cyclone Inland Flooding
• AHPS
• Flood Safety/Mitigation
• Flood Insurance

• Press Conference Partners
• Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)
• National Safety Council
• The Weather Channel
• National Hydrologic Warning Council

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Summary Addressing our Concerns

• Work with EMAs in Louisiana and Mississippi
• Bi-annual meetings with EMAs in LA and MS,
  separately.
• Occasional visits to Parish/County EMAs and
  officials.
• Courtesy call to EMAs when weather becomes
  threatening
• Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlooks that tag
  potential threats
• Participation with Parish/County planners
• St. Tammany Parish River Gage Project
• City of Gretna, LA
• Presentations to civic, professional, and
  governmental organizations
• Amite/Comite River Basin Authority
• Atchafalaya River Basin Authority
• Stress the use of Hydrology tools
• AHPS for planning and coordination
• NOAA Weather Radio
• National Flood Safety Awareness Week

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Wrap Up

• Questions and Comments
• NWS Resource Web Sites
• www.srh.noaa.gov Southern Region Headquarters
• www.srh.noaa.gov/lix - WFO New Orleans/Baton
  Rouge LA at Slidell, LA
• www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc - Lower MS River Forecast
  Center at Slidell, LA
• www.nhc.noaa.gov National Hurricane Center