Interactive Web Tools

The Institute aims to provide the data and tools necessary to support the efforts of those working to build a more resilient Texas. Through our work, we have developed a series of interactive web tools to more effectively share our research.

Buyers Be-Where

Program:

Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas
Buyers Be-Where is an on-line system to help prospective home buyers and sellers understand their risk relative to other properties in the area. Anyone with an Internet connection can enter a street address and receive a graphic and statistical risk assessment for a specific property. Comprehensive, easy to understand information delivered on-the-fly will provide a critical resource for existing and future property owners interested in making sound and safe investment decisions.

Measuring, Mapping and Managing Flood Risk in Texas

Program:

Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas

The IDRT team created an updated tool for identifying flood risk across 14 counties along the Upper Texas coast. Features include: (1) more explanation of how we are using statistical machine learning techniques to identify expected flood impacts based on parcel-level flood damage claims; (2) different return periods/probability of flood events; and (3) a comparison section that allows a user to scroll between traditional physics-based FEMA flood plain designations and our “damage-plain” approach.

Rebuild Texas

Program:

Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas

This web-based spatial decision support system for Texas coastal communities is developed and maintained by Center for Texas Beaches and Shores in support for implementing the Rebuild Texas Framework. This spatial visualization, risk communication, and information-sharing mapping interface provides details on major Hurricane Harvey Impacts. The interface also provides general information about local flood risks in the region.

Coastal Bay Atlas

Program:

Center for Texas Beaches and Shores

The Bay Atlas zooms in from the regional level Coastal Atlas, showing finer details within the Galveston Bay and the surrounding counties of Chambers, Galveston, and Harris. New datasets offered in this map set include Digital elevation models, Land Change, Land Cover, Impervious Surface, and Population Density.

Cost/Benefit for Flood Reduction Mitigation Strategies

Program:

Center for Texas Beaches and Shores

This Cost Benefit Dashboard provides a series or scenarios allowing the user to explore how changing the budget and mitigation practices can affect potential flood reduction. Users can select from elevating properties or buyouts and the map provides insights into expected flood losses and savings from storm surge or inland flooding during storms such as Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Ike.

Texas Historic Insured Flood Loss Analysis

Program:

Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas

CTBS conducted a statewide analysis of historic insured flood loss to help identify at-risk communities in the state. This tool can help residents and decision makers better understand the history and pattern of insured flood damage across the state. This project is a partnership between multiple Texas universities, state and federal agencies, community leaders, and was funded by the Texas General Land Office and FEMA.

Economic Impacts of Hurricane Storm Surge in Galveston Bay

Program:

Center for Texas Beaches and Shores

This map shows likely property damage to residential structures and associated flood depths for hurricane storm surge in the Houston-Galveston metro area.

Residential damage estimates were calculated using HAZUS damage estimation software and are based on US Army Corps of Engineers’ modeling of water depths for surge events (using ADCIRC software) and equations relating flood depth and property values to expected property damage.

Buyers Be-Where

Program:

Center for Texas Beaches and Shores
Buyers Be-Where is an on-line system to help prospective home buyers and sellers understand their risk relative to other properties in the area. Anyone with an Internet connection can enter a street address and receive a graphic and statistical risk assessment for a specific property. Comprehensive, easy to understand information delivered on-the-fly will provide a critical resource for existing and future property owners interested in making sound and safe investment decisions.

Measuring, Mapping and Managing Flood Risk in Texas

Program:

Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas

The IDRT team created an updated tool for identifying flood risk across 14 counties along the Upper Texas coast. Features include: (1) more explanation of how we are using statistical machine learning techniques to identify expected flood impacts based on parcel-level flood damage claims; (2) different return periods/probability of flood events; and (3) a comparison section that allows a user to scroll between traditional physics-based FEMA flood plain designations and our “damage-plain” approach.

Rebuild Texas

Program:

Center for Texas Beaches and Shores

This web-based spatial decision support system for Texas coastal communities is developed and maintained by Center for Texas Beaches and Shores in support for implementing the Rebuild Texas Framework. This spatial visualization, risk communication, and information-sharing mapping interface provides details on major Hurricane Harvey Impacts. The interface also provides general information about local flood risks in the region.

Coastal Bay Atlas

Program:

Center for Texas Beaches and Shores

The Bay Atlas zooms in from the regional level Coastal Atlas, showing finer details within the Galveston Bay and the surrounding counties of Chambers, Galveston, and Harris. New datasets offered in this map set include Digital elevation models, Land Change, Land Cover, Impervious Surface, and Population Density.

Cost/Benefit for Flood Reduction Mitigation Strategies

Program:

Center for Texas Beaches and Shores

This Cost Benefit Dashboard provides a series or scenarios allowing the user to explore how changing the budget and mitigation practices can affect potential flood reduction. Users can select from elevating properties or buyouts and the map provides insights into expected flood losses and savings from storm surge or inland flooding during storms such as Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Ike.

Texas Historic Insured Flood Loss Analysis

Program:

Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas
As part of the Measuring, Mapping, and Managing Flood Risk in the Built Environment project CTBS conducted a statewide analysis of historic insured flood loss to help identify at-risk communities in the state. Such an analysis can also help residents and decision makers better understand the history and pattern of insured flood damage across the state.
This project is a partnership of several Texas universities, state and federal agencies, and community leaders. Measuring, Mapping, and Managing Flood Risk in the Built Environment is made possible by funding from the Texas General Land Office, and FEMA.

Economic Impacts of Hurricane Storm Surge in Galveston Bay

Program:

Center for Texas Beaches and Shores

This map shows likely property damage to residential structures and associated flood depths for hurricane storm surge in the Houston-Galveston metro area.

Residential damage estimates were calculated using HAZUS damage estimation software and are based on US Army Corps of Engineers’ modeling of water depths for surge events (using ADCIRC software) and equations relating flood depth and property values to expected property damage.

Galveston Bay Estuary: Status and Trends

Program:

Center for Texas Beaches and Shores

The Status and Trends is a collection of spatial and temporal indicators including water quality, oil spills, metals, organics, birds, and fisheries catch per unit effort. This data is obtained from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, General Land Office, and Audubon Texas, with the funding for this project provided by the Galveston Bay Estuary Program. The spatial extent of this atlas is the Galveston Bay Estuary as defined by the National Estuary Program.