FLO-2D Web Tool

About the Program

Category: Information Technology (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

The Flood Control District of Maricopa County (FCDMC) has been using two dimensional (2D) hydrologic and hydraulic models as the basis for most of its watershed master planning efforts for over nine (9) years. Currently, FCDMC is using the FLO-2D Pro model for this effort. These models provide more estimates of flood water surface elevations, discharge and other information at a resolution of 15 to 30 foot square grid elements than traditional one-dimensional models. As a result, data sets can be as large as 1.5 million grids per model, making the data very difficult for interested parties to access and understand. The new FLO-2D Web Tool allows our client agencies, consulting engineers and the public access to 2D model results from FCDMC studies in a user-friendly Internet-based framework. Users can access model results visually, and obtain technical information in a variety of formats that can be viewed, downloaded and/or printed. Previously, the very complex and data intensive 2D model results were virtually inaccessible by the end user unless they owned, and were intimately familiar with the 2D model software and GIS. As a result, an extensive amount of staff time was spent responding to information requests for individual parcels or areas. With the advent of this new FLO-2D Web Tool, expensive software licenses and expertise in ArcGIS or the 2D model software are not needed by the end user and staff support time is minimized.