Motivation and Overview of Hydrological Ensemble Post-processing

In this introduction to this chapter on hydrologic post-processing, we discuss the different but complementary directives that the “art” of post-processing must satisfy: the particular directive defined by specific applications and user needs; versus the general directive of making any ensemble member indistinguishable from the observations. Also discussed are the features of hydrologic post-processing that are similar and separate from meteorological post-processing, providing a tie-in to early chapters in this handbook. We also provide an overview of the different aspects the practitioner should keep in mind when developing and implementing algorithms to adequately “correct and calibrate” ensemble forecasts: when forecast uncertainties should be characterized separately versus maintaining a “lumped” approach; additional aspects of hydrological ensembles that need to be maintained to satisfy additional user requirements, such as temporal covariability in the ensemble time series, an overview of the different post-processing approaches being used in practice and in the literature, and concluding with a brief overview of more specific requirements and challenges implicit in the “art” of post-processing

Cascade impact of hurricane movement, storm tidal surge, sea level rise and precipitation variability on flood assessment in a coastal urban watershed

For comprehensive flood assessment, complex systems, both natural and man-made, must be accounted for due to prevailing cascade effects from the upper atmosphere to the subsurface with hydrological and hydraulic interactions in between. This study aims to demonstrate such cascade effects via an integrated nearshore oceanic and coastal watershed model. Such an integrated modeling system consists of a coupled hydrodynamic circulation and wave driven model [the ADvanced CIRCulation (ADCIRC) and Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) models], which can combine storm surge, astronomic tide levels and wave interaction, as well as an integrated hydrological/hydraulic model, namely the Interconnected Channel and Pond Routing (ICPR) model for coastal urban watershed simulation. In order to explore the worst scenario of coastal flooding impacts on a low-lying coastal watershed, the Cross Bayou Watershed within the Tampa Bay area of Florida was chosen for a multi-scale simulation analysis. To assess hurricane-induced storm tide, precipitation variability, and sea level rise collectively this multi-scale simulation analysis combines ADCIRC/SWAN and ICPR integratively. Findings indicate that such consideration of complex interactions at the coastal ocean, land surface, and sub-surface levels can provide useful flood assessments which are sensitive to slight changes in natural hazard characteristics such as storm intensity, radius of maximum winds, storm track, and landfall location