Floods in the United States are projected to kill at least 2,500 people and cost $300 billion within the next 30 years. Flash floods pose particular challenges because they happen so quickly. The National Weather Service engaged ERG to help it develop priority requirements for transforming flash flood services over the next 10 years.
ERG engaged flash flood stakeholders in developing scientific and societal requirements for better modeling, forecasting, and communicating flash flood risks. We did this through a 2½-day summit, featuring academic and agency experts as well as focus groups from diverse communities across the United States that had been hard hit by recent flash floods. ERG guided participants through an iterative, highly interactive process, including the use of visualization tools, to find a shared vision for improved flash flood services and then identify what is needed to achieve that vision. ERG synthesized the key recommendations from the summit and focus groups: more specificity on the timing, severity, and location of flood risks and more intuitive communication of flash flood hazards. NWS has since been implementing these recommendations.