Summary

The goal of this study was to estimate the economic benefit of a flood warning system in order to identify if a federal government interest exists. To do so, the expected mitigation time resulting from the system was estimated with HEC-HMS. The next step is to use the Day Curve to estimate the damage reduction and compare this benefit to the annual cost of the system. Then, the net benefit can be calculated as with other damage-reduction alternatives shown in the Flood-Loss Reduction Studies. For this example, the expected warning time was estimated at one location. In actuality, this process may be repeated for various vulnerable areas throughout a watershed.