I.M. Systems Group provides smart flooding solutions for cities experiencing increased precipitation and flooding due to climate change. Their integrated flood forecast system uses real-time data from multiple sources to provide faster and more accurate flood predictions and warnings. Their integrated flood management system aims to retain floodwaters and avoid flooding critical infrastructure.

1. I.M. Systems Group
Rockville, USA
Smart Flooding Solutions for Smart Cities
integrated flood forecast system for faster and more accurate flood
predictions and warnings
integrated flood management system to retain floodwaters and avoid
flooding of cities infrastructure

2. I.M. Systems Group
Rockville, USA
Smart Flooding Solutions for Smart Cities
Climate change is impacting cities
Many cities are experiencing increases in precipitations
Distribution of precipitation is shifting
Existing flooding solutions are becoming inadequate

3. Smart Flooding Solutions for Smart Cities
What is an integrated flood forecast system ?
Integrates continuous model input data from satellites, radars, weather
stations, water flow stations and others as the rain storm develops into an
enhanced real time flood model
enhanced
real time
flood model

4. Smart Flooding Solutions for Smart Cities
Searching for the best model to use is complicated as hundreds of models are available
empirical, hydrodynamic, stochastic, deterministic, or simple conceptual models
Flooding issues are often the responsibility of several government agencies/departments
and old /inherited models, methods or habits are hard to change
Often too much time is spent finding the “best flood model” while ignoring using it effectively
We recommend that after selecting a model , concentrate efforts and resources to fine tune it to
your situation/needs by constant ongoing calibration, validation and assimilation
A flood model needs to be continuously nurtured and developed, it is never a final
product rather an active evolving tool adapting to changes in climate, weather and environment

5. Smart Flooding Solutions for Smart Cities
what are the INPUT elements of a flood model?
Precipitation
Stream Network Data
Streamflow Monitoring Data
Land Use/Land Cover
Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
Other Climate Parameters
Reservoir/Dams
Cities piping network

6. Smart Flooding Solutions for Smart Cities
what are the OUTPUT elements of a flood model?
FLOOD PREDICTION
Hydrograph at any point
Flood extent maps at any time
Depth od water at any point/time
FLOOD WARNING
Many methods are used and several
government agencies/departments
are responsible. Mobile technology
can predict the flood level where your
phone is allowing the warning to be
personalized

7. Smart Flooding Solutions for Smart Cities
What is an integrated flood management system?
Avoid floods and flooding of cities infrastructure where possible by
managing flood plain development and retaining floodwaters
Avoiding and
minimizing
flooding

8. eIAWS-R3R F05 eIAWS-R3R F05
eIAWS-R3R F05
Valid at 2016/06/16 2100UTC Valid at 2016/06/17 0100UTC
Valid at 2016/06/17 0500UTC
MRMS OBS
MRMS OBS
MRMS OBS
Example – Mesoscale convective system; flood forecasting, severe
weather warnings
IAD – Dulles Intl. Airport
IMSG Corporate Presentation at the 97th AMS Meeting, Seattle, WA, January 2017

9. 0000UTC Radar OBS
~3 hrs before the event
0100UTC Radar OBS
~2 hrs before the event
0200UTC Radar OBS
~1 hr before the event
An isolated thunder storm
with lightning and hails close
to DC area around 0300 UTC
eIAWSR-3R F04eIAWSR-3R F05 eIAWSR-3R F03
0300UTC Radar OBS
Flash flooding in urban area example – Isolated severe storm in DC

10. IMSG Business Sensitive Information.
Distributed by Authorized Representative
Only. All Rights Reserved.
10
A satellite/radar application to forecast short term rain & thunderstorms

11. Decision Support Tools (DSTs) – Processing forecast data to estimate weather
impacts on a particular industry

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Thank you
I.M. Systems Group
Rockville, USA