Introduction
The Flood Forecast Display Tool (FFDT) is an internet tool intended to enhance the existing Red River Basin Decision Information Network (RRBDIN) website capacity. Capacity is enhanced through the development of an interactive tool useful for display and visualization of flood forecasts generated by the National Weather Service (NWS). This project uses flood forecast information generated by the National Weather Service North Central River Forecast Center in Chanhassen, Minnesota to create interactive flood inundation maps, an inundation depth grid, a graphic depicting the estimated arrival time for the flood peak, and flow conditions in and around the Fargo, North Dakota – Moorhead, Minnesota metropolitan area for the flood forecast period. The project has served as a working example of a private-public partnership which focuses on emerging web-based technologies and their application to the Red River Basin.  CAUTION IS WARRANTED WHEN INTERPRETING THE RESULTS OF THIS DEMONSTRATION TOOL. The information presented by this tool represents a forecast of the pending flood event for the next 7 days ONLY. The maximum flood elevation may or may not be included within the 7 day forecast period. The FFDT presents the best available flood forecast information, but should not be interpreted as representing all possible flood conditions and mechanisms. For more information please view the project background information.

Flood Forecast Display Tool GIS Data Download

These data may be downloaded for the flood forecast period. Conditional flood forecasts are generated at 6 hr increments by the North Central River Forecast Center for a forecast period of 7 days. Therefore, these data may or may not be inclusive of the maximum anticipated flood peak.

• Peak Flood Forecast Inundation (Shapefile)
  • Shapefile showing the inundation area corresponding to the maximum elevation during the FLDWAV flood forecast.
• Flood Forecast Inundation Time Series (Shapefiles at 6hr interval forecasts)
  • Shapefiles showing the inundation area for a 6 hour time interval, based upon the 7 day FLDWAV flood forecast.
• Time of Flood Forecast Peak Occurrence (Shapefile)
  • Shapefile showing the maximum elevations and the arrival times of peak flood occurrence during the flood forecast at modeled cross sections.
• Peak Flood Forecast Depth Grid (ArcInfo GRID) (large download ~100mb)
  • GRID showing the inundation area corresponding to the maximum elevation during the FLDWAV flood forecast.  GRID values give the flood depth at that cell.

GIS Web Service
The FFDT provides an OGC Web Mapping Service (WMS) for the current peak flood forecast.

• Peak Flood Forecast Inundation (GetCapabilities: http://ffdt.rrbdin.org/mapmorphv1/cgi-bin/mapserv?map=../ffdtwms.map
  &SERVICE=WMS&VERSION=1.1.1&REQUEST=GetCapabilities)
  • Instructions to add WMS service to ESRI software.
  • Instructions to add WMS service to Google Earth.
  • Instructions to add WMS service to ArcGIS Explorer.

Examples:

• Recording of a Google Earth "fly through" using flood forecast data from June 9, 2007 - (320x240), (720x480)

eNotification
The RRBFFDT provides for automated e-mail notification of the availability of National Weather Service flood forecast products. If you would like to receive an automatically generated notice that the National Weather Services is now forecasting flood elevations for the Fargo- Moorhead Metropolitan Area and the availability of these products, please click here to subscribe to this mailing list.

Current Forecasts by National Weather Service RSS Feed

Links
National Weather Services Flood Forecasts for Red River