Storm Surge Impacts

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Storm Surge Impacts
Gordon Wells Center for Space Research The
University of Texas at Austin
Post Hurricane Ike Planning Hazards and
Dangers Rice Design Alliance Civic Forum, The
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas July 15, 2009
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Category 4 MOM GalvestonBasin

• Severe flooding Bay area, including JSC and
  petrochem facilities

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Category 4 MOM GalvestonBasin
Severe flooding Bay area, including JSC and
petrochem facilities
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Category 5 MOM GalvestonBasin

• All but small section of Galveston County (pop
  280,000) flooded. Houston Ship Channel and port
  severely damaged.

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Category 5 MOM GalvestonBasin
All but small section of Galveston County (pop
280,000) flooded. Houston Ship Channel and port
severely damaged.
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Baytown
HOUSTON
La Porte
League City
Alvin
Texas City
Houston-Galveston Study Area Mean Sea Level
Galveston
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Baytown
HOUSTON
La Porte
League City
Alvin
Texas City
Hurricane Carly MEOW NW at 8 MPH Surge 4.8 Feet
Galveston
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Baytown
HOUSTON
La Porte
League City
Alvin
Texas City
Hurricane Carly MEOW NW at 8 MPH Surge 10.6 Feet
Galveston
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Baytown
HOUSTON
La Porte
League City
Alvin
Texas City
Hurricane Carly MEOW NW at 8 MPH Surge 17.9 Feet
Galveston
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Baytown
HOUSTON
La Porte
League City
Alvin
Texas City
Hurricane Carly MEOW NW at 8 MPH Surge 22.4 Feet
Galveston
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NCAR HWRF

132 mph (Cat 4)
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Texas Civil Air Patrol Photo September 15, 2008
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Historical Ike Water Surface Elevations
(finegird)
UT ADCIRC Model (Clint Dawson Jennifer Proft)
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Historical Ike with Dike Water Surface
Elevations (finegird)
UT ADCIRC Model (Clint Dawson Jennifer Proft)
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Mighty Ike (Cat 4 Storm) with Dike Water
Surface Elevations (finegird)
UT ADCIRC Model (Clint Dawson Jennifer Proft)
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The Seawall Grade Raising (Galveston Postcard
ca. 1910)
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Fortifying against the old dynamic?
USEPA as modified by Jeff Masters