USGS Monitoring Efforts and Lessons Learned from the Historic 2009 Georgia Floods
Author(s)
McCallum, Brian E.
Gotvald, Anthony J.
Advisor(s)
Editor(s)
Carroll, G. Denise
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Abstract
In 2009, the State of Georgia endured two historic flood events, causing widespread damage and significant loss of life. The southeastern coastal plain, in particular south-central Georgia including the City of Valdosta, experienced a significant flood from late March to early April that caused more than $60 million in damages and killed two persons. In September, an extreme amount of precipitation caused epic flooding in north Georgia, especially in the Metropolitan Atlanta area. More than $300 million in damages occurred and 10 persons lost their lives during this event in Georgia. Both events rewrote the streamflow record books in their respective regions. This paper will review how the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) real-time streamflow monitoring efforts aided in the warning, response, and documentation for these events, and provide some lessons learned in how flood information was collected and disseminated during and after these historic floods.
Sponsor
Sponsored by:
Georgia Environmental Protection Division
U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Water Science Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service
Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Water Resources Institute
The University of Georgia, Water Resources Faculty
Date
2011-04
Extent
Resource Type
Text
Resource Subtype
Proceedings