Digital Coast In Action
Improving Inundation Mapping in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Coastal officials need regional storm surge models and mapping products to help them better understand potential coastal flooding. Officials also need to "visualize" this crucial flood modeling information in combination with other hazard and coastal resource data.
The Process
This project provided data, a calibrated storm surge model, a grid, and the ability to import the results of the storm surge model into a geographic information system (GIS) to create inundation maps at various temporal and spatial scales. The two- and three-dimensional visualizations created through this project will be used to develop planning scenarios and communicate the risks associated with flooding from storm surge.
High-resolution bathymetric, topographic (lidar), and airborne gravimetric data were used for the storm surge modeling and mapping. High-resolution elevation data greatly improve the accuracy of inundation mapping, helping to determine the severity and trajectory of coastal flooding.
The data were obtained from multiple sources and references and therefore required transformation into a uniform datum. Datum consistency is another key component of model accuracy, providing seamless elevations for representing the flow of water across the land–water interface. A vertical datum transformation tool called VDatum was created for the region, enabling reconciliation of the different vertical datums.
An automated process was developed to ingest storm surge model output (ADCIRC, or the Advanced Circulation Model) into a GIS to create inundation maps that can be used to show impacts.
Maximum depth layer created from Hurricane Ivan ADCIRC model output displayed in Google Earth
