Rice University crafts pivotal new flood tracking system for Houston's most vulnerable spots

HOUSTON, Texas -- The recent Houston deluge is a sobering reminder of the constant potential of flooding here, especially in at-risk areas. To that end, a local university has devised a new tool to tackle high water threats in vulnerable spots.

Engineers at Rice University have crafted a new radar-based flood assessment, mapping and early-warning system to help planning for and responding to flooding at Houston hospitals and other critical facilities, namely on the watersheds of Brays, Sims, Hunting and White Oak bayous.
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Dubbed the Flood Information and Response System (FIRST), the system covers several flood-prone and at-risk communities, including Kashmere Gardens, Gulfton, and Sunnyside, a press release notes.

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