Flooding is one of the most unpredictable and devastating natural disasters, and for rapidly growing regions like Williamson County, Texas, the need for accurate and real-time flood intelligence has never been more urgent. Over the last two decades, Williamson County has experienced rapid development, with its population increasing by 57% between 2010 and 2022, making it one of the fastest-growing counties in the state (US Census Bureau, 2023). With this growth has come increased flood risk, as impervious surfaces are paved over and storm frequency and severity amplify, causing emergency management teams to protect more homes, infrastructure, and lives than ever before.
In response to these challenges, Williamson County partnered with FloodMapp in 2023 to implement a real-time operational flood modeling system. This system is designed to provide emergency managers with hourly flood data, enabling them to make data-based critical decisions quickly and accurately. In this blog, we’ll explore how Williamson County uses FloodMapp’s technology and why it’s a game-changer for disaster preparedness and response.
The Challenge: Managing Flood Risk in a Growing County
Williamson County has faced several major flood events over the past decade, including the Memorial Day Floods in 2015, which impacted over 450 homes, caused $7 million in damages, and tragically resulted in one fatality. Another significant event occurred in September 2018 when a rain bomb dropped 6 inches of rain over Liberty Hill, causing the San Gabriel River to crest at 24 feet. The flooding inundated a wedding venue, leading to 88 people being rescued, some from rooftops. These extreme events, affecting both the west and east sides of the county, emphasized the need for a more reliable, real-time flood monitoring system to help emergency management teams respond more effectively to flood threats.
Before partnering with FloodMapp, Williamson County explored other alternatives, such as building their own flood monitoring system. However, they needed an affordable and scalable solution capable of delivering accurate data in real-time, across hydrologically diverse watersheds, that could support the growing population.
The Solution: Implementing FloodMapp's Real-Time Flood Intelligence
In 2023, Williamson County implemented FloodMapp’s real-time flood modeling system to address these challenges. The system, powered by FloodMapp’s DASH (Dynamic Automated Scalable Hydroinformatics) model, uses artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and traditional hydrologic and hydraulic modeling techniques to deliver forecasted, current, and post-event flood extent and depth data in real-time. This data is updated within seconds to minutes, allowing emergency managers to make informed decisions about where to allocate resources, when to close roads, and how to evacuate at-risk populations.
In addition to the procurement of FloodMapp technology, Williamson County also made additional investments to help support the overall system through the purchase of United States Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauges and the development of an internal GIS platform (called the Flood Monitoring Viewer, shown in Figure 1) to visualize the flood intelligence data. With the USGS stream gauges integrating seamlessly with FloodMapp technology , detailed situational awareness across the County’s major watersheds, including the San Gabriel River, Brushy Creek, and Salado Creek, was achieved.
Real-World Impact: Protecting Lives and Infrastructure
With FloodMapp’s technology in place, Williamson County emergency managers now have access to crucial flood data before, during, and after flood events:
ForeCast: Provides flood predictions hours before an event, allowing emergency teams to pre-position resources, conduct targeted evacuations, and protect critical infrastructure.
NowCast: Offers real-time updates on flood extent and depth as the event unfolds, enabling swift water rescues, road closures, and resource allocation.
PostCast: Delivers a retrospective look at maximum flood extent and depth after an event, supporting damage assessments, disaster declarations, and the application for federal funding.
Looking Ahead: Future Investments in Flood Preparedness
Williamson County is committed to further strengthening its flood resilience. In addition to the current flood modeling system, the county plans to continue investing in additional stream gauges and expand access to the Flood Monitoring Viewer for all emergency management personnel at the County and City level. The County’s Geographic Information System (GIS) team has also built an operational field tool that allows first responders to capture photos of flood extents and depths. These photos are automatically relayed to FloodMapp engineers who validate flood model results to constantly improve and update the model. This enables a “living” flood intelligence system that will grow and adapt as Williamson County continues to expand.
By training more staff, adding more data sources, and building systems to improve model results, Williamson County aims to enhance the accuracy of its flood intelligence and ensure that it remains prepared for future flood events. Williamson County’s continued investment in infrastructure to support the overall system and training of County personnel on how to use the system ensures that the data remains relevant and usable for years to come. As floods become more frequent and severe due to climate change, having accurate, timely data is crucial for emergency management teams to protect communities.
FloodMapp’s real-time flood modeling technology is helping Williamson County become more resilient, and its application within Williamson County is a model that other regions in Texas—and beyond—can follow to enhance their disaster preparedness and response.
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