Exploring Alternate Methods of Flood Output Estimation During Natural Disasters
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Earth and Environmental Sciences
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Haluk Cetin; Dr. Katharine Loughney; Dr. Bassil El Masri
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
The article, Identification of Unseen Flood Hazard Impacts in Southeast Florida Through Integration of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System Techniques by Charles Finkl, is what the methodology of this project is based on, and the factors that it uses to map out potential flood zones including locations of hydric soils, drainage conditions, surface water hydroperiods, and associated hydrogeomorphic features. These factors when combined will not come together to make a map that matches 100% what an organization like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can create, but the purpose of the study is to compare them to each other. Additional comparison of FEMA maps would be sourced through FEMA itself. Previous work on this topic dealt with gaps in information in the aftermath of natural disasters, specifically flooding, and will be built off of that to try and create a broadly applicable tool or method to map out flooding extent. The metric of success for the accuracy of these maps would be the FEMA flood maps for the study areas, as well as satellite flood imagery when possible. A successful research project should be able to create a map of an area with potential flood extent that is at least 90% accurate under an accuracy assessment when compared to the FEMA flood maps.
Spring Scholars Week 2026
Honors College Senior Thesis Presentations
Exploring Alternate Methods of Flood Output Estimation During Natural Disasters
The article, Identification of Unseen Flood Hazard Impacts in Southeast Florida Through Integration of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System Techniques by Charles Finkl, is what the methodology of this project is based on, and the factors that it uses to map out potential flood zones including locations of hydric soils, drainage conditions, surface water hydroperiods, and associated hydrogeomorphic features. These factors when combined will not come together to make a map that matches 100% what an organization like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can create, but the purpose of the study is to compare them to each other. Additional comparison of FEMA maps would be sourced through FEMA itself. Previous work on this topic dealt with gaps in information in the aftermath of natural disasters, specifically flooding, and will be built off of that to try and create a broadly applicable tool or method to map out flooding extent. The metric of success for the accuracy of these maps would be the FEMA flood maps for the study areas, as well as satellite flood imagery when possible. A successful research project should be able to create a map of an area with potential flood extent that is at least 90% accurate under an accuracy assessment when compared to the FEMA flood maps.