Weather-Responsive Management Strategies (WRMS) \u2013 Agency Tools to Manage Infrastructure Impacts during Flood Events

Federal Highway Administration2021PDFBriefJohnson, DavidCoventry, TonyGreenfield-Huitt, TinaMiller, DavidNiazi, BabrakYap, BasilLutman, TravisBuchholz, RussFarris, MartyUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationRoad Weather Management Program (U.S.)United States. Federal Highway AdministrationUnited StatesRoad weather information systemsWeather forecastingTransportation system managementTransportation operationsTraffic modelsFHWA-HOP-21-013The Weather Responsive Management Strategies (WRMS) initiative under the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Every Day Counts \u2013 Round 5 (EDC-5) program promotes the use of road weather data from mobile and connected vehicle (CV) technologies to support traffic and maintenance management strategies during inclement weather. The goal is to improve safety and reliability, as well as reduce environmental impacts on the transportation system resulting from adverse weather. WRMS can mitigate the impact of major flooding events through preparation efforts that leverage and build data, tools, and agency relationships. As a result, agencies are better equipped for response and recovery efforts. During flooding events, protecting and preserving roadway infrastructure from damage and ensuring structural integrity for use are critical activities for agencies. Post-event inspections are also necessary to identify any long-lasting damage. Although flood events may occur either after a major storm event or seasonally from the spring thaw, similar tools can be leveraged for both kinds of flooding to support management efforts. Flood-related WRMS provide agency staff an understanding of the potential impacts of the event and where the greatest impacts may occur in order to best determine how to use available resources and tools. This fact sheet highlights emerging and commonly used tools that agencies around the country have deployed for flood event preparation, response, and recovery. These tools include water-filled barriers and sandbag systems in Iowa, Louisiana, and North Dakota; unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in North Carolina and North Dakota; night-vision goggles in Oklahoma; and acoustic imaging and hydrographic surveys in Nebraska.113