Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems (2021)

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119   A P P E N D I X A Blank Survey Questionnaire

120 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems NCHRP Synthesis Topic 51-10 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems General Comment The questions in this survey are organized into the following five (5) general topic areas: Current Status of Flood Event Management; Flood Monitoring; Flood Prediction; Flood Warning Systems; and Flood Response Systems. Current Status of Flood Event Management The first series of questions are intended to establish some background on your State Department of Transportation’s (DOT) experience with the flood events and with state integrated flood prediction and response system. Please enter the contact information of all respondents who participated in completing the survey.

Blank Survey Questionnaire 121   Contact 1: * Name Title Telephone Email Contact 2: Name Title Telephone Email

122 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems Contact 3: Name Title Telephone Email Contact 4: Name Title Telephone Email

Blank Survey Questionnaire 123   1. Has your State experienced sustained substantial infrastructure and economic damages due to flood events in the past 15 years? * Yes No 2. What types of flooding does your State experience? (check all that apply) * Coastal flooding River flooding (e.g., overtopping banks) Surface/Overland flooding (e.g., due to the poor drainage) Other * 3. What causes of flooding does your State experience? (check all that apply) * Flooding due to storm surge Tidal flooding due to sea level rise and/or subsidence Flooding due to king tide events Flooding due to heavy rain events Flooding due to snow melt Other * Current Status of Flood Event Management

124 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Current Status of Flood Event Management 4. From the perspective of your office, on a scale of 1 to 5 (1-least effective to 5-very effective), is your state DOT integrated system for flood prediction and response system viewed as successful? 5. What plans or initiatives have contributed to the successful integrated system? Please describe some of the details or provide an informative link in the space provided below. * *

Blank Survey Questionnaire 125   Flood Monitoring The second series of questions are intended to establish some background on your State Department of Transportation’s (DOT) organizational structure and to identify the current practices in flood monitoring. In this survey flood monitoring refers to collecting observable data of the flood condition. 6. What are observed benefits of your successful integrated system? (check all that apply) * Overall safety enhancement (e.g., reduction in death toll due to flood events, decreased crash frequency during heavy rain season, etc.) Reduction in economic loss (e.g., reduced infrastructure repair and maintenance cost) Improved and reliable relationship within state DOT offices Streamlined and collaborative inter-agencies communication Positive public feedback/trust (e.g., enhanced reliability on the state DOT issued warning, etc.) Enhanced common database Better understanding of the performance of flood conveyance systems Other * 7. What are the top three lessons learned from your state's flooding (and other events) over the past 15 years? Are there any recommendations from those lessons that have been implemented? *

126 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems 8. Which State DOT office(s) is(are) currently responsible for flood monitoring? (check all that apply) * Hydraulics/Hydrology office staff Asset management office staff Planning and/or Programming office staff Research office staff Consultants contracted to flood monitoring and deliver to DOT office Our state does NOT monitor flooding at all Other * 9. What is the title of the office or staff member that oversees the flood monitoring? Please provide a link to the website, if available.

Blank Survey Questionnaire 127   10. What methods/practices does your state DOT apply for flood monitoring? (check all that apply) * Dynamic Flood Inundation Map (please provide the website link if available) * National Water Information System National Water Model State Model (please provide the website link if available) * Other * Flood Monitoring

128 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems 11. What instrument/tools does your state DOT use for flood monitoring? (check all that apply) * Stream gages (federal) Rain gages (federal) Stream gages (non-federal) Rain gages (non-federal) Remotely sensed data Radar Video Geographic Information system (GIS) UAV/UAS Other *

Blank Survey Questionnaire 129   Flood Monitoring 12. What type (format) of data is collected to support flood monitoring? (check all that apply) Images Videos Gage data/point data Bridge scour LiDAR data Staff reports Emergency services reports Citizen reports Other * 13. How is flood data logged/stored? (check all that apply) In a database shared between state DOT divisions and offices In a database shared between other state and/or federal agencies In a single repository, unshared In an integrated structured database Other *

130 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems 14. How is flood data shared across federal, state, and local organizations? (check all that apply) Data is not shared Reporting through transcripts Intranet platform Online platform (please provide the website link) Email Other * 15. Is there a public website to view your state's flood monitoring data? No Yes (please provide the link) 16. Is this website managed by the DOT? Yes No 17. Does your agency provide public access to the guidelines on flood monitoring? No Yes (please provide the document and/or link)

Blank Survey Questionnaire 131   Flood Monitoring 18. Is the flood monitoring program assessed relative to its performance and accuracy? * Yes No 19. How is the success of the monitoring program assessed? User feedback Observation Other * 20. How often is the instrument/tool assessed? Every __ years Every __ months Every __ major storm

132 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Flood Monitoring 21. Are the assessment reports available? No Yes (please provide the document) 22. From the perspective of your office, on a scale of 1 to 5 (1- least effective to 5- very effective), is your state’s flood monitoring program viewed as successful? * 23. What are some observed benefits with your flood monitoring system? (check all that apply) * Improved emergency response Improved emergency evacuation Improved emergency planning Improved understanding of maintenance needs Improved understanding of system performance Other *

Blank Survey Questionnaire 133   Flood Monitoring Less than 10% 10%-25% 25%-50% 50%-75% More than 75% 24. What are some challenges/weaknesses in implementing a successful flood monitoring system? (check all that apply) * State Resources (staffing, funding, turnover, etc.) Local Resources (staffing, funding, turnover, etc.) Technical Expertise Data format consistency Data accuracy Data coverage (e.g., lack of stream gages) Data timeliness Data completeness (contents) Data accessibility Other * 25. Approximately what percent of the streams crossing roads are equipped with the gages?

134 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems 26. How are the roadway segments assessed after a flood event? (check all that apply) * Visual inspection GIS Satellite image comparison LiDAR Public reporting External agency reporting Other * 27. How are the bridges assessed after a flood event? (check all that apply) * Visual inspection GIS Satellite image comparison LiDAR Bridge scour Public reporting External agency reporting Other *

Blank Survey Questionnaire 135   Questions in this section are intended to gather information related to your State DOT’s current practices and methods in flood prediction, including features such as the extent and severity of flood event. The term flood prediction/modeling in this section also incorporates flood forecasting. 28. Which State DOT office(s) is(are) currently responsible for flood prediction? (check all that apply) * Hydraulics/Hydrology office staff Asset management office staff Planning and/or Programming office staff Research office staff Consultants contracted to flood prediction and deliver to DOT office Our state does NOT perform flood prediction/modeling at all Other * 29. What is the title of the office or staff member that oversees the flood prediction? Please provide a link to the website, if available. Flood Prediction/Modeling

136 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems Flood Prediction/Modeling 30. What type of model is used by your state DOT? (check all that apply) * Threshold model Hydrologic/hydraulic model Both Other * 31. How is your state DOT’s flood prediction model developed and managed? (check all that apply) * In-house (by the state DOT’s office/division overseeing flood prediction) By an external consultant By a federal agency (e.g., USGS, FEMA, NOAA, NWS) By local governments By other state agency (please provide the agency) * Other *

Blank Survey Questionnaire 137   32. What is the platform/model of the flood prediction model used by your state? (check all that apply) * In-house (by the state DOT’s office/division overseeing flood prediction) platform Other state agency platform External platform hosted by a consultant Federal agency (e.g., USGS, FEMA, NOAA, NWS) platform A national platform (e.g., HEC-RAS, SRH-2D) Other * 33. Does the model incorporate the following observations? (check all that apply) * Precipitation Runoff Stream stage/discharge Bridge scour Inundation area/depth Snowmelt depth Integrated (combining above attributes) Other *

138 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems Flood Prediction/Modeling 34. What is the timestep of the precipitation input? 15 minutes 1 hour 3 hours 12 hours 24 hours Other * 35. What federal data are being applied in your state DOT’s flood prediction model? (check all that apply) Images (e.g., inspector or stationary camera images) Gage data/point data LiDAR data Topographic data Remotely sensed data (e.g., satellite or aerial images, land cover data, etc.) Model flood outputs Other *

Blank Survey Questionnaire 139   36. What state DOT data are being applied in your state DOT’s flood prediction model? (check all that apply) Images (e.g., inspector or stationary camera images) Videos (e.g., inspector or stationary camera videos) Gage data/point data LiDAR data Topographic data Land cover data Land use data Agency reports Citizen reports Other *

140 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems Flood Prediction/Modeling 37. What data from local agencies and other state agencies (not DOT) are being applied in your state DOT’s flood prediction model? (check all that apply) Images (e.g., inspector or stationary camera images) Videos (e.g., inspector or stationary camera videos) Gage data/point data LiDAR data Topographic data Land cover data Land use data Agency reports Citizen reports Other * 38. How often is the model input data updated? (select one answer) * Ongoing Needs to be updated but no formal plan for update Periodically but at least once a year Other

Blank Survey Questionnaire 141   39. How often is the prediction model updated? (select one answer) * Ongoing Needs to be updated but no formal plan for update Periodically but at least once a year Other 40. How is the model and its outputs shared across organizations? * The model is not shared Reporting through transcripts Intranet platform Email Online platform (please provide the website link) * Other * 41. Is there a public website to view your state's flood model projection? No Yes (please provide the link)

142 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems 42. Is the flood prediction model assessed relative to its performance and accuracy? Yes No 43. How is the success of the tool assessed? (check all that apply) * User feedback Observation Other 44. How often is the tool assessed? Every __ years Every __ months Every __ major storm Flood Prediction/Modeling

Blank Survey Questionnaire 143   1 2 3 4 5 N/A 45. What does the assessment review? (check all that apply) Accuracy Timeliness Applicability Usability Other * 46. Are the assessment reports available? No Yes (please provide the document and/or link) 47. From the perspective of your office, on a scale of 1 to 5 (1- least effective to 5- very effective), is your state’s flood prediction model viewed as successful? *

144 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems 48. What makes this model a success? (check all that apply) * Ease of use Accuracy of output Type of information output/usability Other * 49. What are observed benefits of having this flood prediction model/practice in-place? (check all that apply) * Improved emergency preparedness Improved emergency response Improved emergency evacuation Improved emergency planning Improved understanding of agency emergency performance Other * 50. Are guidelines or a user’s manual on flood prediction model available? No Yes (please provide the link or document) Flood Prediction/Modeling

Blank Survey Questionnaire 145   Flood Warning System Questions in this section are intended to gather information related to your State DOT’s current practices and methods in flood warning system. Specific questions are related to: Overall warning issue and dissemination process; Methods and tools applied in warning system; Features associated with a warning system such as threshold, trigger, warning levels; and Observed benefits and lessons learned. 51. What issues (limitations, constraints, etc.) have you observed in implementing the flood prediction model? (check all that apply) * State Resources (staffing, funding, turnover, etc.) Local Resources (staffing, funding, turnover, etc.) Technical Expertise Difficulty in integrating Federal resources Data format consistency Data accuracy Data coverage Data timeliness Data completeness (contents) Data accessibility Other

146 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems Flood Warning System 52. Which State DOT office(s) is(are) currently responsible for flood warning system? (check all that apply) * Risk Management office staff Safety office staff Operations office staff Design office staff Asset management office staff Planning and/or Programming office staff Research office staff Consultants contracted to manage the flood warning system No office, no implementation of flood warning system at all Other * 53. What is the title of the office or staff member that oversees the flood warning system? Please provide a link to the website, if available. 54. Does your state DOT have an established flood warning protocol and/or published guidelines in-place? No Yes (please provide the document)

Blank Survey Questionnaire 147   55. What is the threshold parameter/data that your state applies to issue a flood warning? * 56. Which state DOT office(s) is(are) engaged in deciding when the threshold is met? (check all that apply) * Risk Management office staff Safety office staff Operations office staff Design office staff Asset management office staff Planning and/or Programming office staff External office/agency (e.g., Governor’s Office; Please specify) * Other *

148 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems Importance Ranking Forecast precipitation Not Applicable Forecast stream stage Not Applicable Observed precipitation Not Applicable Observed stream stage Not Applicable Observed stream inundation Not Applicable Model precipitation Not Applicable Model inundation Not Applicable Bridge scour Not Applicable 1 2 3 4 5 N/A 57. Rank the importance of the information used in your state's flood warning system (more stars = higher importance) * 58. From your office's perspective, on a scale of 1 to 5 (1- least effective to 5- very effective), how would you rate your state DOT’s flood warning system effectiveness? (e.g., availability, accessibility, etc.) * Flood Warning System

Blank Survey Questionnaire 149   1 2 3 4 5 N/A Flood Warning System 59. From your office's perspective, on a scale of 1 to 5 (1- least effective to 5- very effective), how would you rate your state DOT’s flood warning system accuracy? (e.g., lead time, false alarm rate, flood extent and severity, etc.) * 60. What have been the key attributes and factors that have led to the success of the flood warning system at your agency? (check all that apply) * Accurate flood prediction system Accurate flood monitoring system Effective communication system (Please elaborate) * Effective internal communication system (Please elaborate) * Effective inter-agency communication system (Please elaborate) * Effective public communication system (Please elaborate) * Other *

150 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems 61. What are the observed benefits of having this flood warning system? (check all that apply) * Improved emergency response Improved emergency evacuation Flood damage mitigation (reducing the amount of damage due to a flood) Other *

Blank Survey Questionnaire 151   62. What issues (limitations, constraints, etc.) have you observed in the flood warning system? (check all that apply) * State Resources (staffing, funding, turnover, etc.) Local Resources (staffing, funding, turnover, etc.) Technical Expertise Difficulty in integrating Federal resources Data format consistency Data accuracy Data coverage Data timeliness Data completeness (contents) Data accessibility Communication among other state agencies (e.g., State Police, Governor’s Office, etc.) Communication within the state DOT Communication in informing the public Other *

152 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems The series of questions in this section focus on your State DOT’s efforts and practices in flood event response systems. Specific questions are related to: State DOT efforts towards better responding to flood events and communication chain (e.g., collaboration with other agencies such as state emergency management agency, local public agencies, etc.); Issues that states experience with flood event response systems such as funding, lack of adequate staff, or lack of internal communication, etc.; and Successfully implemented state response systems 63. Which State DOT office(s) is(are) currently responsible for flood response system? (check all that apply) * Emergency Management Office Risk Management Office Safety office staff Operations office staff, Transportation Management Center staff Asset management office staff Other * 64. What is the title of the office or staff member that oversees the flood response system? Please provide a link to the website, if available. Emergency Response System

Blank Survey Questionnaire 153   65. What other agencies are involved when dealing with major flood events? (check all that apply) State Police State Emergency Management Agency Governor’s Office Public Health Department of Environmental Protection Department of Water Resources, Bureau of Water Division of Fish and Wildlife FEMA National Guard Local Government Other * 66. How is your state DOT internal communication system structured to respond to flood events? (check all that apply) * Email list Existing internal emergency contact tree Internal hotline Automated text among internal members Emergency management center Conference calls Other * Emergency Response System

154 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems Emergency Response System 1 2 3 4 5 N/A 1 2 3 4 5 N/A 67. From a scale of 1 to 5 (1- least effective to 5- very effective), rate your experience with the DOT internal communication system. * 68. What practices and approaches does your state DOT have for communicating and working with other state agencies when responding to flood events? * 69. From a scale of 1 to 5 (1- least effective to 5- very effective), rate your experience with the inter-agency communication system. *

Blank Survey Questionnaire 155   1 2 3 4 5 N/A 70. What communication tools and methods are available to alert the public in response to flooding events? (check all that apply) * Turn Around Don’t Drown (TADD) Red Lights TADD Gates Signs Emails Text messages 511 systems Dispatch lines Social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) RSS feed Mobile application Television Radio Other * 71. From a scale of 1 to 5 (1- least effective to 5- very effective), rate your experience in the public communication system. * Emergency Response System

156 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems 1 2 3 4 5 N/A 72. Does your state DOT have established guidelines related to flooding event responses? No Yes (please provide the document and/or link) 73. From your office's perspective, on a scale of 1 to 5 (1- least effective to 5- very effective), rate your experience in the flood event response system. *

Blank Survey Questionnaire 157   74. What have been the key attributes and factors that have led to the success of the flood response system at your agency? (check all that apply) * Adequate state resources (in terms of staff and/or funding) Consensus from stakeholders regarding the importance of the initiative Cooperation from local agencies in the state Provision of relevant training for practitioners (state, local, tribal nations, planning organizations, etc.) Holding peer exchanges for practitioners (state, local, tribal nations, planning organizations, etc.) Establishment and distribution of a clear emergency response plan that is shared with all practitioners Continuous public awareness campaign regarding the emergency response and warning systems Gained public trust through successful and accurate flood prediction system Having real time or near real time model results/observations Other * Emergency Response System

158 Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems 75. What methods are used to facilitate the emergency response system? (check all that apply) * Frequent coordination meetings among the stakeholders Joint funding for emergency response efforts Committee established that oversees and contributes to effective emergency response initiatives Workshops developed and delivered to practitioners (through LTAP) Peer exchanges held with other states Involvement from the FHWA Division office or other FHWA assistance Other * 76. If your state DOT’s response system to the flood event has aspects that are ineffective, please indicate the reasons of the system ineffectiveness. (check all that apply) * Lack of Resources (staffing, funding, technical expertise, etc.) Lack of concern or understanding of flood risk Data security Lack of prioritizing from state leadership Lack of stakeholder commitment/willingness to invest and/or engage Inability to coordinate with local jurisdictions Lack of commonality of databases Other *

Blank Survey Questionnaire 159   Thank You! Thank you for your willingness to participate in this NCHRP Synthesis project. The survey is complete. All responses will be kept anonymous. Please contact Principal Investigator Dr. Seri Park for further information. You will be automatically redirected to the NCHRP Synthesis Topic 51-10 Website in 30 seconds. 77. If your state DOT does not have an effective flooding event response system, is there a future program being developed in order to improve effectiveness? Yes No we do not have a future plan Our system is already effective 78. What is the title of this program under development? Please provide the name of the program and any details of the program.