The USGS, in cooperation with state and federal agencies, operates permanent sensor networks along the East Coast of the U.S. These networks provide real-time data important to the National Weather Service, FEMA and other USGS partners involved in issuing flood and evacuation warnings, and in coordinating emergency responses to communities.

In early October, the monitoring network was put to the test when Hurricane Matthew wrought widespread flooding, destruction and catastrophic loss of life during its journey across the Western Atlantic. Over 1,600 estimated deaths, and damages estimated to exceed $10.5 billion (USD), made it the one of the deadliest and costliest Atlantic hurricanes in recent times.

In advance of the storm, USGS gauging sites were uploaded into In-Situ’s HydroVu Data Services (shown above), a cloud-based water monitoring website.  Throughout the storm, HydroVu allowed for real-time reporting of parameters including depth, discharge, precipitation, temperature, and specific conductivity in the hardest hit areas of North Carolina. Critical events – such as the Lumbar River levee breach, which left 1500 people stranded – were also detected in the data.

“Having secure access to decision-quality data when, where, and how you need it is critical, especially during major hydrologic events such as a hurricane. Regularly viewing and analyzing data to limit potential problems, and minimizing data gaps by receiving customized alarm notifications, can be the difference between being proactive versus reactive in critical situations that can have devastating impacts on human life, property and the environment” said Matt Trumbo, Environmental Solutions Product Manager at In-Situ.

Cloud-based data services, like HydroVu, coupled with strategic monitoring networks, increase the ability to provide data critical to forecasts, flood awareness, and post-flood assessments during extreme hydrological events such as those created during Hurricane Matthew.