Hazard Mitigation Technical Assistance Program Contract No. EMW-2000-CO-0247 Task Order 446 Hurricane Rita Rapid Response Wind Water Line (WWL) Data Collection – Texas FEMA-1606-DR-TX Final Report February 28, 2006 Submitted to: Federal Emergency Management Agency Region VI Denton, TX Graphic: Department of Homeland\FEMA logo Prepared by: URS Group, Inc. 200 Orchard Ridge Drive Suite 101 Gaithersburg, MD 20878 Table of Contents Abbreviations and Acronyms ii Glossary of Terms iii Background 1 Overview of Impacts in Texas 2 Purpose 7 Methodology 9 Findings and Observations 17 Conclusions 19 Appendices Appendix A: Wind Water Line Data Points Appendix B: Photographs Appendix C: Debris Line and Inundation Mapping Summary Appendix D: Notes on Analysis of Wind Water Line Data Points Appendix E: Wind Water Line Maps List of Figures Figure 1: Hurricane Rita Storm Track 2 Figure 2. FEMA-1606-DR-TX Disaster Declaration 4 Figure 3: Study Area 8 Figure 4: Wind Water Line Illustration (Profile View/Plan View) 10 Figure 5: Example Debris Field 11 Figure 6: Example Water Marks 11 List of Tables Table 1: Counties Designated for Individual Assistance and Public Assistance, Categories A and B Only 3 Table 2: Counties Designated for Individual Assistance and Public Assistance, All Categories 3 Table 3: Counties Designated Only for Public Assistance, All Categories 3 Table 4: Initial Damage Assessments for Residential Structures 5 Table 5: Wind Water Line Findings 17 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS Acronyms and Explanations CDT Central Daylight Time (daylight savings time zone) CHWM Coastal High Water Mark DEM Digital Elevation Model EDT Eastern Daylight Time (daylight savings time zone)FEMA Federal Emergency Management AgencyFIRM Flood Insurance Rate Map GIS Geographic Information SystemGPS Global Positioning SystemHMGP Hazard Mitigation Grant Program HMTAP Hazard Mitigation Technical Assistance ProgramHWM High Water Mark IA Individual Assistance km Kilometers kts Knots LiDAR Light Detection and Ranging mb Millibar mph Miles Per HourNAD 83 North American Datum of 1983 NAVD 88 North American Vertical Datum of 1988 NFIP National Flood Insurance Program NGVD 29 National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 NUAR Not Used After ReviewPA Public Assistance PNP Private Non-Profit RHWM Riverine High Water Mark SOC State Operations Center USGS U.S. Geological Survey UTM Universal Transverse Mercator WWL Wind Water Line GLOSSARY OF TERMS Word Definition ArcCatalog® - Software application from ESRI that organizes and manages all GIS information such as maps, globes, data sets, models, metadata, and services. ArcGIS® - The comprehensive name for the current suite of GIS products produced by ESRI that are used to create, import, edit, query, map, analyze, and publish geographic information. ArcView® - A software application from ESRI that provides extensive mapping, data use, and analysis, along with simple editing and geoprocessing capabilities.Base map - A map or chart showing certain fundamental information, used as a base upon which additional data of a specialized nature are compiled or overprinted. Contour data - Ground elevation data displayed as continuous lines for given elevations. Contour lines - Lines that connect a series of points of equal ground elevation and are used to illustrate topography, or relief, on a map. Data point - A point associated with a discrete geographic location where data pertaining to the study were collected. Debris line - Defines the extent of flooding where debris such as parts of houses, docks, cars, or other non-natural material is generally carried by floodwaters with some velocity and is then dropped as the floodwaters lose velocity and begin to recede.Disaster declaration - The formal action by the President to make a state eligible for major disaster or emergency assistance under the Stafford Act.Emergency protective measures - Actions taken by Applicants before, during, and after a disaster to save lives, protect public health and safety, and prevent damage to improved public and private property.Flood recovery map - High-resolution maps that show flood impacts, including high water mark flood elevations, flood inundation limits, the inland limit of waterborne debris (trash lines), and storm surge elevation contours based on the high water marks. The maps also show existing FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) flood elevations for comparison to hurricane data.Geodatabase - The geodatabase provides the common data access and management framework for ArcGIS. Geodatabases organize geographic data into a hierarchy of data objects. These objects are stored in feature classes, object classes, and feature datasets. An object class is a table in the geodatabase that stores nonspatial data. A feature class is a collection of features with the same type of geometry and the same attributes. A feature dataset is a collection of feature classes sharing the same spatial reference.Hazard Mitigation Grant Program - Provides grants to States and local government to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration. The purpose of the program is to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster. High Water Mark - Indicators of high water levels found on the ground or on structures. Examples are debris lines, wrack lines, and mud lines. Individual Assistance - Federal assistance provided to families or individuals following a major disaster or emergency declaration. Under a major disaster declaration, assistance to individuals and families is available through grants, loans, and other services offered by various Federal, state, local, and voluntary agencies.Inundated - Flooded or covered with water.Inundation polygon - Aerial extent of flooding as shown by polygon feature in ArcGIS. Knot - A unit of speed, 1 nautical mile per hour, approximately 1.85 kilometers (1.15 statute miles) per hour. LiDAR - LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) is a technology that determines distance to an object or surface using laser pulses. Like the similar radar technology, which uses radio waves instead of light, the range to an object is determined by measuring the time delay between transmission of a pulse and detection of the reflected signal. Millibar - A unit of atmospheric pressure equal to 1/1,000 of a bar. Standard atmospheric pressure at sea level is about 1,013 millibars. Mitigation - Any measure that will reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to life and property from a disaster event. Mud line Type of high water mark found on structures. Occurs when suspended solids carried by floodwaters are deposited along the walls, doors, etc. of structures leaving an indicator of the peak flood level. National Flood Insurance Program - The Federal program created by an Act of Congress in 1968 that makes flood insurance available in communities which enact and enforce satisfactory floodplain management regulations. National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 - Vertical control datum that was widely used in the U.S. prior to the establishment of NAVD 88.North American Datum of 1983 - Horizontal datum used as the standard map coordinate system default by the majority of GPS devices. North American Vertical Datum of 1988 - The most widely used vertical control datum in the U.S. today, it was officially established in 1991 by the minimum-constraint adjustment of the Canadian-Mexican-U.S. leveling observations. Orthorectified - Orthorectification removes the effects of relief displacement and imaging geometry from aerial photographs. Polygon - A polygon, in ArcGIS, is a shape defined by one or more rings, where a ring is a path that starts and ends at the same point. If a polygon has more than one ring, the rings may be separate from one another or they may nest inside one another, but they may not overlap. Public Assistance - Federal assistance provided to state and local government, Native American Tribes, and certain non-profit organizations after a disaster declaration. The assistance is for the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain Private Non-Profit (PNP) organizations. The Federal share of assistance is not less than 75 percent of the eligible cost for emergency measures and permanent restoration. The State determines how the non-Federal share (up to 25 percent) is divided among the applicants. Riverine flooding - Occurs when rivers and streams overflow their banks. Seed file - Seed files are used within software applications and serve as templates in which standard file parameters are set to predetermined standards. Shapefile - Shapefiles store geographic features and their attributes. Geographic features in a shapefile can be represented by points, lines, or polygons (areas). Storm surge - Onshore rush of water piled higher than normal as a result of high winds on an open water body’s surface. It occurs primarily along the open coast, and can destroy houses, wash away protective dunes, and erode soil. Topographic quadrangle maps - A standard map size and scale used by the U.S. Geological Survey to show topography, roads, and landmarks. Water mark - A mark, usually on structures, left by floodwaters. Wind Water Line - An approximate boundary to delineate the inland extent of the area where structures were damaged as a result of flooding from storm surge from a particular event. Landward of the line, most of the damage is attributable to winds and/or wind-driven rain. Sometimes, the Wind Water Line is located along the debris line, but in some cases, inundation and flood damage extends beyond the area where major debris was deposited. Wrack line Defines the extent of flooding where organic type debris such as grass and weeds are carried by floodwaters and then dropped as the floodwaters recede. Background The eighteenth tropical depression of the 2005 Hurricane Season formed on September 17, 2005, to the east of the Turks and Caicos Islands. It then became the seventeenth tropical storm of the season on September 18, less than a day after forming, and was named Rita. On September 18, a mandatory evacuation was ordered for the entire Florida Keys. As Rita moved westward over the next couple of days, it was slow to become a hurricane. National Hurricane Center discussions issued early on September 20 indicated that while some wind measurements suggested Rita might have surface level wind speeds of 74 miles per hour (mph), or 144 knots (kts), the lack of a complete eyewall did not support the hurricane designation. Therefore, the National Hurricane Center continued to designate Rita as a tropical storm with wind speeds of 70 mph (136 knots). However, Rita did gain strength and by 11:00 a.m. eastern daylight time (EDT) on September 20, it was designated as a Category 2 strength hurricane with 100 mph (194 knots) maximum sustained winds. Rita stayed a Category 2 for the rest of the day on September 20, but began increasing in intensity rapidly on September 21. By 5 p.m. EDT on September 21, Hurricane Rita was a Category 5 storm with maximum wind speeds of 165 mph (321 knots). Rita continued to strengthen and by the night of September 21, its maximum sustained winds had increased to 175 mph (340 knots), with an estimated minimum pressure of 897 millibars (mb). After peaking with steady winds of 175 mph (340 knots), Rita made landfall on September 24, between Sabine Pass, Texas, and Johnson’s Bayou, Louisiana, as a Category 3 hurricane with wind speeds of 120 mph (233 knots) and a storm surge of 10 feet (3 meters [m]). Figure 1 shows Rita’s path beginning on September 18, 2005, and ending on September 25 a day after making landfall. Figure 1: Graphic of Hurricane Rita Storm Track Source: http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/tropic/archive/2005/storms/rita/rita.html Overview of Impacts in Texas On September 24, 2005, the President authorized a disaster declaration for several Texas counties (FEMA-1606-DR-TX). Through subsequent amendments, all Texas counties were included in the declaration, which provided the necessary assistance to meet immediate needs and to help Texas recover as quickly as possible through the following means: Public Assistance (PA): includes supplemental Federal disaster grant assistance for the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged publicly owned facilities, and the facilities of certain private non-profit (PNP) organizations. There are seven subcategories (A-G) within this designation under two work types: emergency work and permanent work. Unless otherwise noted, Public Assistance will include all categories under both work types. However, often only the emergency work categories are designated, which include Category A, debris removal, and Category B, emergency protective measures. Individual Assistance (IA): includes cash grants of up to $26,200 per individual or household for housing (hotel or motel expenses reimbursement, rental assistance, home repair and replacement cash grants, and permanent housing construction assistance in rare circumstances) and other needs (medical, dental, and funeral costs, transportation costs, and other disaster-related needs). Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP): funds projects that will reduce or eliminate the losses from future disasters by providing a long-term solution to a problem. Eligible applicants include State and local government, Indian tribes or other tribal organizations, and certain non-profit organizations. FEMA can fund up to 75 percent of the eligible costs of each project, and the State or grantee must provide a 25 percent match. All of Texas’ 254 counties are eligible for HMGP funds. The majority of Texas counties (225) were designated for Public Assistance, Categories A and B only, and not for Individual Assistance. Tables 1 through 3 provide listings of which designation(s) other counties received for IA and PA. If a county is not listed in these tables, then it is only eligible for Public Assistance, Categories A and B only. Figure 2 shows this information graphically. Table 1: Counties Designated for Individual Assistance and Public Assistance, Categories A and B Only Fort Bend Harris Table 2: Counties Designated for Individual Assistance and Public Assistance, All Categories Angelina Brazoria Chambers GalvestonHardin Jasper JeffersonLibertyMontgomeryNacogdoches Newton OrangePolkSabine San AugustineSan Jacinto Shelby TrinityTyler Walker Table 3: Counties Designated Only for Public Assistance, All Categories CherokeeGreggHarrison Houston Marion PanolaRusk Figure 2: FEMA-1606-DR-TX Disaster Declaration Graphic of Texas Counties eligible for Hazard Mitigation. The effects of Rita were not as severe as expected. For the most part, Houston escaped major damage, apart from extensive loss of power. Some windows blew out of downtown skyscrapers, and some trees and traffic signals were downed. North of Houston, the 2.5-acre Lake Livingston dam sustained substantial damage from powerful waves driven by wind speeds of 117 mph (102 kts) and operators had to conduct an emergency release to lessen pressure on the dam. This release put lives at risk downstream and also threatened a major bridge because it caused a sizable barge to become unmoored. Repairs to the dam are expected to take months. After water levels were lowered and an inspection was conducted by national and local experts, the dam was declared stable late on September 26. All communities in the “Golden Triangle” formed by Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange Counties sustained enormous damage from Rita’s winds. Texas Governor Rick Perry declared a nine-county disaster area. In Beaumont, an estimated 25% of trees in heavily wooded neighborhoods were uprooted. An enormous number of houses and businesses suffered extensive damage from Rita’s winds and falling trees. The water treatment plant in Port Neches was heavily damaged. Some areas were without power for more than six weeks. The Golden Triangle was spared a more devastating ocean surge by the redirection of Rita’s path hours before the storm made landfall, which placed most of the coastal community to the left of the hurricane’s eye in the least damaging quadrant. Rita’s surge was easily handled by Port Arthur’s extensive levee system. Bolivar Peninsula between Galveston and Sabine Pass experienced only a small surge, in contrast to Louisiana’s unprotected communities east of Rita’s center, which suffered under a 20-foot surge. Still, there was widespread property damage and loss in Texas following Hurricane Rita. Table 4 provides a summary of damages to residential structures. These numbers are initial damage assessment results reported by impacted counties and cities to the State of Texas. The table is from Situation Report #41 issued by the State of Texas, State Operations Center (SOC) and dated December 20, 2005. Table 4. Initial Damage Assessments for Residential Structures COUNTY/CITY: Angelina/Lufkin SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 30 Minor Damage: 85 COUNTY/CITY: Angelina/Lufkin MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 3 Minor Damage: 12 COUNTY/CITY: Angelina/Lufkin APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 48 COUNTY/CITY: Angelina SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 35 Major Damage: 300 Minor Damage: 500 COUNTY/CITY: Angelina MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 35 Major Damage: 400 Minor Damage: 500 COUNTY/CITY: Angelina APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 25 Minor Damage: 25 COUNTY/CITY: Chambers SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 7 Major Damage: 134 Minor Damage: 167 COUNTY/CITY: Chambers MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 15 Major Damage: 66 Minor Damage: 70 COUNTY/CITY: Chambers APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 4 Minor Damage: 4 COUNTY/CITY: Cherokee SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 15 COUNTY/CITY: Cherokee MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 10 COUNTY/CITY: Cherokee APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: Hardin SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 6,050 Major Damage: 4,440 Minor Damage: 550 COUNTY/CITY: Hardin MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 7,700 Major Damage: 3,300 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: Hardin APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 22 COUNTY/CITY: Harris SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 16 Major Damage: 27 Minor Damage: 11,630 COUNTY/CITY: Harris MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 0 Major Damage:0 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: Harris APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: Harris/La Porte SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 70 COUNTY/CITY: Harris/La Porte MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 1 Major Damage: 2 Minor Damage: 5 COUNTY/CITY: Harris/La Porte APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: Jasper SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 33 Major Damage: 534 Minor Damage: 515 COUNTY/CITY: Jasper MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 63 Major Damage: 176 Minor Damage: 168 COUNTY/CITY: Jasper APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 5 Minor Damage: 9 COUNTY/CITY: Jefferson SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 75 Major Damage: 2,000 Minor Damage: 10,000 COUNTY/CITY: Jefferson MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 15 Major Damage: 500 Minor Damage: 1,000 COUNTY/CITY: Jefferson APARTMENTS Destroyed: 35 Major Damage: 250 Minor Damage: 500 COUNTY/CITY: Jefferson/Port Arthur SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 750 Major Damage: 3,000 Minor Damage: 9,000 COUNTY/CITY: Jefferson/Port Arthur MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 900 Major Damage: 25 Minor Damage: 40 COUNTY/CITY: Jefferson/Port Arthur APARTMENTS Destroyed: 200Major Damage: 3,000 Minor Damage: 500 COUNTY/CITY: Jefferson/Groves SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 60 Major Damage: 800 Minor Damage: 2,000 COUNTY/CITY: Jefferson/Groves MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 60 COUNTY/CITY: Jefferson/Groves APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0Major Damage: 5 Minor Damage: 4 COUNTY/CITY: Jefferson/Nederland SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 116 Major Damage: 1,456 Minor Damage: 3,961 COUNTY/CITY: Jefferson/Nederland MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 77 Major Damage: 193 Minor Damage: 116 COUNTY/CITY: Jefferson/Nederland APARTMENTS Destroyed: 47 Major Damage: 332 Minor Damage: 475 COUNTY/CITY: Liberty SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 7 Major Damage: 124 Minor Damage: 94 COUNTY/CITY: Liberty MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 10 Major Damage: 294 Minor Damage: 331 COUNTY/CITY: Liberty APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 12 Minor Damage: 1 COUNTY/CITY: Liberty/Liberty City SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 3 Minor Damage: 6 COUNTY/CITY: Liberty/Liberty City MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 1 Major Damage: 3 Minor Damage: 5 COUNTY/CITY: Liberty/Liberty City APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: Montgomery SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 4 Major Damage: 25 Minor Damage: 67 COUNTY/CITY: Montgomery MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 30 Major Damage: 40 Minor Damage: 60 COUNTY/CITY: Montgomery APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: Nacogdoches SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 0 1 1 75 0 0 0 Major Damage: 1 Minor Damage: 10 COUNTY/CITY: Nacogdoches MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 1 Major Damage: 1 Minor Damage: 75 COUNTY/CITY: Nacogdoches APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: Nacogdoches/ Nacogdoches City SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 1 Major Damage: 33 Minor Damage: 125 COUNTY/CITY: Nacogdoches/ Nacogdoches City MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 3 Major Damage: 1 Minor Damage: 1 COUNTY/CITY: Nacogdoches/ Nacogdoches City APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: Newton SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 55 Major Damage: 200 Minor Damage: 800 COUNTY/CITY: Newton MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 60 Major Damage: 100 Minor Damage: 310 COUNTY/CITY: Newton APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: Newton/Newton City SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 155 Minor Damage: 200 COUNTY/CITY: Newton/Newton City MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 75 Minor Damage: 75 COUNTY/CITY: Newton/Newton City APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 18 Minor Damage: 40 COUNTY/CITY: Orange SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 3,600 Major Damage: 9,000 Minor Damage: 11,250 COUNTY/CITY: Orange MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 200 Major Damage: 400 Minor Damage: 500 COUNTY/CITY: Orange APARTMENTS Destroyed: 200 Major Damage: 300 Minor Damage: 600 COUNTY/CITY: Polk SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 29 Major Damage: 329 Minor Damage: 305 COUNTY/CITY: Polk MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 24 Major Damage: 242 Minor Damage: 325 COUNTY/CITY: Polk APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 10 Minor Damage: 5 COUNTY/CITY: Sabine SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 20 Major Damage: 94 Minor Damage: 408 COUNTY/CITY: Sabine MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 40 Major Damage: 250 Minor Damage: 482 COUNTY/CITY: Sabine APARTMENTS Destroyed: 1 Major Damage: 5 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: San Augustine/San Augustine City SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 5 Minor Damage: 100 COUNTY/CITY: San Augustine/San Augustine City MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 5 Minor Damage: 10 COUNTY/CITY: San Augustine/San Augustine City APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: San Jacinto SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 250 Major Damage: 500 Minor Damage: 1,500 COUNTY/CITY: San Jacinto MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 250 Major Damage: 1,000 Minor Damage: 500 COUNTY/CITY: San Jacinto APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: Shelby SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 10 COUNTY/CITY: Shelby MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 1 COUNTY/CITY: Shelby APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: Shelby/Shelby City SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 3 Minor Damage: 10 COUNTY/CITY: Shelby/Shelby City MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 3 Minor Damage: 5 COUNTY/CITY: Shelby/Shelby City APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 0 COUNTY/CITY: Trinity SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 15 Major Damage: 80 Minor Damage: 295 COUNTY/CITY: Trinity MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 21 Major Damage: 75 Minor Damage: 301 COUNTY/CITY: Trinity APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 3 Minor Damage: 2 COUNTY/CITY: Tyler SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 150 Major Damage: 375 Minor Damage: 459 COUNTY/CITY: Tyler MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 131 Major Damage: 450 Minor Damage: 650 COUNTY/CITY: Tyler APARTMENTS Destroyed: 0 Major Damage: 0 Minor Damage: 0 TOTALS: SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS Destroyed: 11,273 Major Damage: 23,648 Minor Damage: 54,132 TOTALS: MOBILE HOMES Destroyed: 9,577 Major Damage: 7,604 Minor Damage: 5,612 TOTALS: APARTMENTS Destroyed: 483 Major Damage: 3,969 Minor Damage: 2,235 Additionally, concerns have been raised over the state of the oil industry in the aftermath of Rita. The storm threatened a large portion of the industry’s infrastructure that was left undamaged by Hurricane Katrina. The Texas Gulf Coast is home to 23% of U.S. oil refining capacity, and numerous offshore production platforms were potentially in Rita’s path. While no potential storm path would threaten all of the capacity at once, a direct strike on Houston could disable up to 8% of the nation’s refining capacity. Purpose After a hurricane impacts a coastal area with significant flooding, it is imperative that data be collected to document the event to assist in response, recovery, and mitigation efforts, and to improve disaster preparedness and prevention efforts for future disasters. Wind Water Line (WWL) data collection is an initial step in accurately documenting an event. These data help place the event in historical perspective and improve the ability to estimate current flood risk and future event prediction. Collection of site-specific flood inundation data along rivers, bays, and coasts has numerous applications. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requires data to identify flood damages to provide a valid basis for establishing eligibility of flood insurance benefits. Information for insurance purposes is time-critical because the flood insurance and homeowner insurance claims cannot be concluded until the cause of damage is established. The WWL data provide a basis for delineating areas subject to flooding and help to identify approximate boundaries between areas where damages are due to flooding and wind versus areas of wind-only damages. FEMA will use these data to provide inundation boundaries and information on the flooding extent along the affected shoreline areas. Other FEMA programs that directly benefit from post-disaster flood data collection include: Human Services: provides advice to individuals on how to use federal grants to increase their homes’ flood resistance; Public Assistance (PA): identifies appropriate flood mitigation measures to pursue when providing federal grants to repair publicly owned infrastructure; and, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP): ensures that accurate benefit/cost analysis is performed. The purpose of the WWL Study is to determine the inland extent of damages caused by storm surge-induced flooding, and differentiate this area from those farther inland where damages were primarily the result of wind forces. By delineating the WWL, an approximate boundary is created between areas where both storm surge-induced flooding and wind forces caused damage to structures from those areas where wind forces were the primary cause of damages to structures and surge flooding did not have a significant impact. Sometimes, the WWL is located along the debris line, but in some cases, inundation and flood damages extend beyond the area where major debris was deposited. The WWL study extended from the northern portion of the Gulf Coast of Texas eastward through southwestern Louisiana. This report focuses on the determinations based on data collected in Texas, where the northeast coastline was studied. Figure 3 shows the WWL Study Area within Texas. Figure 3: Graphic of the Study Area Overview of Related Projects In response to Rita, a Hazard Mitigation Technical Assistance Program (HMTAP) Task Order 446, Rapid Response, Hurricane Rita Wind Water Line – Texas was issued and is the focus of this report. In addition, HMTAP Task Order 443, Rapid Response, Aerial Radar – Texas and Louisiana; HMTAP Task Order 444, Rapid Response, Hurricane Rita Coastal High Water Mark Survey – Texas; and HMTAP Task Order 449, Rapid Response, Hurricane Rita Riverine High Water Mark Survey – Texas were also issued. An overview of these task orders is provided below: Under Task Order 443, Rapid Response, Aerial Radar – Texas and Louisiana, cartographic analysts were tasked with using post-event aerial imagery to delineate areas affected by flooding along the northeast portion of Texas’ coastline and the western edge of Louisiana’s Gulf Coast. In Texas, the imagery acquired covered portions of Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula in Galveston County, the eastern coastline of Jefferson County, and Orange County. Through Task Order 444, Rapid Response, Hurricane Rita Coastal High Water Mark Survey - Texas, field crews collected perishable high water mark (HWM) data at field observation point locations. The crews looked for evidence of the peak elevation of flooding caused by storm surge, then inventoried and surveyed these elevations. Peak flood elevations along the northeast coastline of Texas were recorded at several locations as part of this task order. These data can be used to help determine the extent of flooding. For Task Order 449, Rapid Response, Hurricane Rita Riverine High Water Mark Survey – Texas, field crews also collected high water mark data at field observation point locations. Field crews for the riverine high water mark (RHWM) survey were focused on areas of overbank flooding where heavy and/or prolonged precipitation resulted in an exceedence of the capacity of rivers and streams to keep floodwaters within their banks. Peak flood elevations for riverine type flooding were surveyed and recorded as part of this task order. Riverine HWMs can be used to help delineate the extent of surge flooding by showing where riverine flooding predominates. In addition, comparison of WWL data with the impacts projected by modeled storm events provides insight into how well numerical models simulate a specific event (e.g., coastal storm surge, riverine flooding). When coupled with sufficient data density and observational information, it is possible to create flood recovery maps, which are high-resolution maps that show flood impacts, including HWM flood elevations, flood inundation limits, the inland limit of waterborne debris (trash lines), and storm surge elevation contours based on the HWMs. These event-related data can be used in conjunction with or, in some cases, instead of effective Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) data to establish recommended coastal flood elevations for redevelopment and rebuilding purposes. Methodology There were two basic elements to this project: field data collection and WWL mapping. While field crews worked to collect data in the weeks following Hurricane Rita, the WWL mapping process occurred after the data had been collected and involved interpretation and analysis of data from several sources. Data Collection Methodology URS field crews were mobilized within 7 days of the disaster declaration. Field teams tasked with locating HWMs, marking them, and performing general data collection were called ‘flaggers’ and began field work on October 1, 2005, and continued through October 15. Surveying teams followed the flaggers and surveyed the points the flaggers had identified, working from October 31 through November 16. Data collection for Task Order 446, Rapid Response, Hurricane Rita Wind Water Line – Texas was performed in tandem with data collection for Task Order 444, Rapid Response, Hurricane Rita Coastal High Water Mark Survey - Texas and Task Order 449, Rapid Response, Hurricane Rita Riverine High Water Mark Survey – Texas. The WWL points, which are also located by identifying water marks on structures or debris or wrack lines, doubled as HWMs. WWL points are used to define the extent inland of where there is damage to structures caused by surge flooding. Thus the points generally form a line showing the approximate inland limit of surge flooding. The WWL is so called because landward of the line in coastal areas, damage to structures is usually limited to wind damage, which includes direct rain damage where the envelope of the structure may have been compromised by high wind damage. Seaward of the line, damage is the result of surge-induced flooding with wind forces contributing as well (see Figure 4). Figure 4: Graphic - Wind Water Line Illustration (Profile View/Plan View) Each field crew was tasked with identifying and documenting the WWL and collecting data points along the coastlines. The WWL data points were documented using a standardized flagger form to collect detailed information about the point. To define points along the WWL, field crews visited areas of known flood damage. Traveling away from the coast to the edge of damage, they attempted to locate debris fields (see Figure 5) or water marks close to the ground, and to trace them along topographic features to determine the extent of flooding (see Figure 6) and flood damages. Field crews notified County Emergency Managers prior to the start of field work in order to obtain all available information about the location and extent of damage to structures in the county. Areas identified by County Emergency Managers as having been damaged and/or having higher flood levels were given higher priority. Figure 5: Photo of an Example Debris Field Figure 6: Photo of an Example Water Mark Generally, WWL data were collected every 2 to 4 miles in developed areas inland. However, in areas with significant damage to structures from flooding along the coastlines, the density of data points was sometimes higher. Similarly, there were certain stretches of coastline where field crews could not take data points either because these areas could not be accessed (no roads, thick vegetation or swampy areas, etc.) or because there was no clear physical evidence to define a WWL point. The following data were collected at each observed WWL point: Address (if the point was near an addressable structure); Latitude/longitude reading, taken in North American Datum 1983 (NAD 83), which is used as the standard map coordinate system default by the majority of Global Positioning System (GPS) devices; Location description (e.g., neighborhood or other descriptive name); Date the data point was taken; Type of data point, including debris line, water mark, wrack line (indicates the high tide mark), etc.; Type and severity of observed wind damage; Flood source; Approximate flood depth (if water mark data point); and, Digital photographs. Data had to be collected quickly; as community clean-up efforts progressed, valuable debris line and water mark data were being destroyed. WWL data were entered into a database (see Appendix A). Each photograph was named according to the WWL point reference number (see Appendix B). In all, thirty-six WWL data points were collected. After the WWL data points were compiled and checked for accuracy, they were surveyed for elevation. Geographic information system (GIS) analysts worked with the data to make geodatabases and create associated shapefiles. Mapping Methodology To create the Wind Water Line maps, the project team relied heavily on data supplied from HMTAP Task Order 443, Rapid Response, Aerial Radar – Texas and Louisiana, HMTAP Task Order 444, Rapid Response, Hurricane Rita Coastal High Water Mark Survey – Texas, and HMTAP Task Order 449, Rapid Response, Hurricane Rita Riverine High Water Mark Survey – Texas. Under Task Order 443, Rapid Response, Aerial Radar – Texas and Louisiana, cartographic analysts used post-event aerial imagery to delineate areas affected by flooding along the Texas Coast. The analysts used natural color, orthorectified 3001, Inc. imagery acquired between September 30, 2005 and October 9, 2005. The imagery and secondary sources were interpreted by a team of professional cartographic analysts, which identified where inundation occurred from visual evidence of the HWM, and where relatively high velocity storm surge occurred, from visual evidence of deposited debris. The team of analysts produced a shapefile for the debris line and one for the inundation area extending inland of the debris line. All shapefiles were reprojected from latitude/longitude to Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Zone 16, NAD 83. Obscured polygons outline areas where imagery was void, corrupt, or covered by clouds. A summary report for this effort is provided as Appendix C. The post-event imagery used under Task Order 443, Rapid Response, Aerial Radar – Texas and Louisiana was captured for areas closest to where the hurricane made landfall that generally experienced the most damage; the imagery did not cover all of the affected areas. In Texas, this imagery (and thus the photointerpreted debris line and inundation areas) was available for Orange County, Jefferson County, and portions of Chambers and Galveston Counties. Through Task Order 444, Rapid Response, Hurricane Rita Coastal High Water Mark Survey – Texas, field crews collected perishable HWM data at field-observed, point locations. They looked for evidence of the peak elevation of flooding caused by storm surge, then inventoried and surveyed these elevations. HWM points are taken where surge directly affects flood levels including the shoreline of open coasts, bays, and tidally influenced rivers. HWMs are formed when the water level during a storm rises to a maximum elevation and leaves marks on the interior and/or exterior walls of a structure, or debris or wrack lines along the ground. HWM field crews were responsible for identifying these marks and recording some basic information about the data point. Survey crews then used these initial records to later relocate the points and survey them, thus determining the peak elevation of flooding. Sometimes, the accuracy of the individual WWL points was verified by comparing them to surrounding HWM data points. In these cases, the elevation data from the HWM surveys were used to complement the WWL data. Under this task order, field WWL data points were used together with the information about the extent of flooding determined as part of the aerial imagery task order to finalize the aerial measure of inundation based on both photointerpretation and field ground-truthed data. The inundation areas defined under Task Order 443, Rapid Response, Aerial Radar – Texas and Louisiana, served as the ‘base data’ for determining the WWL, and the field data collected under the effort described in this report (Task Order 446) were compared to this base data to determine if the two data sets were in agreement. This base data was only available in certain areas including Orange County, Jefferson County, and along the Gulf Coast of Chambers and Galveston Counties along Bolivar Peninsula. Where WWL field data points did not agree with the photointerpreted flood area delineation, analyses using information about the depth of flooding and flood elevation for the WWL (and potentially for nearby HWM points) were conducted. If the flood elevation data and supporting documentation, including comments and photographs from the field crews, confirmed that the WWL point was correct, the inundation coverage was modified to agree with the field collected data and topography was used to delineate the boundaries for these modifications. Where the aerial imagery, and subsequently the photointerpreted debris line and inundation area, were not available, the WWL data from the flaggers were used in conjunction with local topography to delineate the WWL. This methodology was used in Harris County and portions of Chambers and Galveston Counties. The local topography was obtained from the Texas Natural Resources Information System and was available online at http://www.tnris.org/hurricanerita/. To determine the inland limit of surge along major coastal rivers, HWMs were used. HWMs are grouped into two types, coastal and riverine(see footnote 1), and serve as a good tool in helping to distinguish the two types of flooding. Therefore, the first general indication of the extent of surge was the boundary between coastal HWMs (CHWMs) and RHWMs along these rivers. After finding this area, surge elevations for the CHWMs closest to this boundary were identified, and the inland limit of surge was mapped by following the topography along these elevations. Where there was more than one CHWM, the CHWM elevations were averaged. This methodology was used in Jefferson and Orange Counties along the Neches River, Sabine Lake/Willie Slough Gully, the Sabine River, and two tributaries of the Sabine River. Footnote 1: The flooding type is provided in a column of Appendix A for each point. While the naming convention for RHWMs and CHWMs generally includes a 'C' or an 'R' within the point name to indicate the type of flooding, for Task Orders 444 and 449 these labels were not always true. Therefore, the flooding type data from Appendix A should be used. Notes from these data analyses are included in tabular format in Appendix D and are summarized by county below. As described previously, post-event imagery and the photointerpreted debris line and areas of inundation were only available in limited portions of the study area including Orange County, Jefferson County, and portions of Chambers and Galveston Counties. No debris line or inundation mapping was done around Galveston Bay (Chambers, Harris and Galveston Counties) or on Galveston Island (Gavelston County). Chambers County Three WWL data points were identified in Chambers County: RTXC-03-03, RTXC-03-04, and RTXC-03-05. A review of the flagger forms and photographs and local topography indicated that wrack lines were located around the coastline of Galveston Bay. To reflect this evidence, the WWL, a debris line in this area, was extended along Galveston Bay by following the 5-foot (1.5-meter) contour. Galveston County In Galveston County, 19 WWL data points were identified (see Appendices A and D). Of the 19 points, 12 were located long the perimeter of Galveston Island. A review of the flagger forms and photographs provided evidence that coastal surge left wrack and debris lines along the island’s coast. An evaluation of local topography and spotty aerial imagery indicated the debris line followed the 5-foot (1.5-meter) contour. To reflect this evidence, a debris line was added along the perimeter of Galveston Island. The remaining seven points were located along the Bolivar Peninsula. Similar to the recommendation for Galveston Island, the WWL along the Bolivar Peninsula was extended along the northern border. Along the southern border where post-event imagery and a photointerpreted debris line were available, the WWL was adjusted slightly to generally follow the 5-foot contour. Although there are no WWL data points along the northern border of the Bolivar Peninsula due to lack of access, it was assumed that a WWL also formed along the perimeter of the bay side of the peninsula, which was the case with Galveston Island. Post-event aerial imagery, which was available for portions of Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula, was used in conjunction with local topography to delineate the WWL in this area. Harris County Two WWL data points were identified in Harris County. After a review of the flagger forms and photographs and topography, only point (RTXC-03-02) was deemed to accurately represent the WWL. To reflect this evidence, the WWL was extended along the bay by following the 5-foot (1.5-meter) contour to reach point RTXC-03-02. However, the comments on the flagger form and photographs for RTXC-03-01 do not provide conclusive evidence of a WWL. The flagger noted, “…[the] high water mark may be [due to the] normal high tide.” Therefore, RTXC-03-01 was not included in the WWL analysis. No post-event aerial imagery for this county was available for review. Jefferson County Aerial imagery, topography, and flagger forms and photographs were reviewed to assess the inundation coverage for the four WWL points identified in Jefferson County. Field data for repetitive loss point RTXC-01-01 did not provide clear evidence of a WWL. The photograph shows a wrack line, but the flagger commented, “[there is] no flooding or damage to [the] building.” A review of aerial imagery supported the flagger’s comment, as no flooding in proximity to this point was evident. Points RTXC-05-06, RTXC-05-26, and RTXC-05-27 were within 200 feet (61 meters) of the photointerpreted debris line and deemed to be in agreement with the photointerpreted flood area and debris line. Also in Jefferson, points RTXC-05-26 and RTXC-05-27 were used to delineate the extent of coastal flooding. Both of these points were coastal points and represented the furthest inland coastal flood data in the area. Elevations at these points were approximately 6 feet (1.8 meters) North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88), so the WWL was delineated at 6 feet (1.8 meters) NAVD 88 in this area. Along Sabine Lake/Willie Slough Gully, points RTXC 05-07 and RTXC 05-17 were used to define the extent of surge flooding. Elevations at these points averaged 4.5 feet (1.4 meters) NAVD 88; this number was rounded to 5 feet (1.5 meters) NAVD 88 to delineate the WWL. Orange County Five WWL data points were identified in Orange County. After reviewing flagger forms and photographs, aerial imagery, and the photointerpreted inundation area, it was deemed that the inundation area should be extended to include the four points that accurately represented the WWL. The remaining point, RTXC-01-03, was not included as a WWL point because of its remote location from a body of water and the lack of conclusive evidence from aerial imagery to indicate that flooding occurred within proximity to the point. Along the Sabine River, several points were used to determine the extent of surge flooding. In Texas, the points RTXR-05-14 (coastal), RTXC-03-06, and RTXC-03-07 show the inland extent of coastal data collected under the HWM task orders. In Louisiana, there was one point, RLAC-09-16, that was also used. The average of these points was approximately 6 feet (1.8 meters) NAVD 88 which was used to delineate the WWL. Two tributaries of the Sabine River where also analyzed. The point RTXC 05-13 was used to delineate the WWL along one of these tributaries with an elevation of 5 feet (1.5 meters) NAVD 88. Along the second tributary, point RTXR 05-147 (coastal) was used; this point also had an elevation of 5 feet (1.5 meters) NAVD 88. Polk County Both points identified as WWLs in Polk County were discarded based on a review of local topography and flagger comments. Wrack lines were located along the channel bank, indicating that flooding occurred within the stream channel. This data corroborates reports of flooding along the Trinity River after excess amounts of water were released from Lake Livingston Dam. The Trinity River channel was flooded, but no homes or structures were flooded or damaged in Polk County. No post-event aerial imagery was available for this region of Polk County. Sabine County One WWL point was identified in Sabine County. By reviewing the local topography, it was determined that point RTXR-02-14 had an elevation of 175 feet (53 meters) and was approximately 118 miles (190 kilometers [km]) away from the Gulf Coast. An evaluation of the flagger’s comments revealed that flooding generally occurred within the stream channel and was not due to coastal surge. The flagger commented, “It seems as if this corner [of the river] trapped some water, raising this [water surface elevation]. Otherwise the water in the area did not overflow the banks of the river.” This point does not appear to be representative of the inundation trend and was therefore discarded for the purposes of modifying the inundation area. No post-event aerial imagery was available for this region. Map Details GIS maps of the WWL were produced at a scale of 1:24,000 (see Appendix E). The maps show the location and type of each WWL data point, the debris line, and the approximate coastal inundation extent of storm surge flooding. The GIS maps are based on U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5- minute topographic quadrangle maps. It is important to note that the maps use both the debris line and extent of inundation to show the damage caused by flooding. While the debris line helps to show where higher velocity storm surge pushed debris inland, causing damage, the inundation caused by surge extends further inland and shows where less powerful and, in many cases, shallower flooding also caused damage. Together, these illustrate the extent of the WWL along the northeast Gulf Coast of Texas. Findings and Observations In Texas, the WWL was delineated primarily by the debris line. Surge flooding inland of the debris line generally seemed to occur only in eastern Jefferson County and Orange County. Along portions of Galveston Bay, a WWL was delineated, but it was not believed to be a Debris Line since the areas are largely undeveloped wetlands. Table 5 presents a summary of inland distances of the WWL with a focus on developed areas. Damage caused by coastal storm surge effects was observed all along Texas’ Gulf Coast. The land along Galveston Bay in Chambers County, Harris County, and Galveston County escaped major coastal flooding as maximum surge levels were in the range of 4 to 6 feet 1.2 to 1.8 meters) (see map panels 16, 17, 21-26, and 31). Table 5: Wind Water Line Findings Note: Points in Polk and Sabine Counties were not deemed to accurately represent the WWL. COUNTY: Chambers LOCATION (CITY OR AREA): Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge DISTANCE INLAND TO DEBRIS LINE (FT/M): None DISTANCE INLAND OF SURGE INUNDATION (FT/M): 35,000/10,700 MAJOR FLOOD SOURCES: Gulf of Mexico MAP PANEL NAMES AND NUMBERS: (East Bay) Frozen Point – 33 High Island – 34 Lake Stephenson – 32 Oyster Bayou – 25 Stanolind Reservoir – 26 COUNTY: Chambers LOCATION (CITY OR AREA):Trinity Bay Coast- Smith Point to the City of Anahuac DISTANCE INLAND TO DEBRIS LINE (FT/M): 0-8,000/0-2,400 DISTANCE INLAND OF SURGE INUNDATION (FT/M): None beyond debris line MAJOR FLOOD SOURCES: Trinity Bay MAP PANEL NAMES AND NUMBERS: Anahuac – 17 Lake Stephenson – 32 Oak Island – 24 Smith Point – 31 COUNTY: Chambers LOCATION (CITY OR AREA): Trinity Bay Coast- the City of Anahuac to Beach City DISTANCE INLAND TO DEBRIS LINE (FT/M): None DISTANCE INLAND OF SURGE INUNDATION (FT/M): 0-25,000/0-7,600 MAJOR FLOOD SOURCES: Trinity Bay MAP PANEL NAMES AND NUMBERS: Anahuac – 17 Cove – 16 COUNTY: Chambers LOCATION (CITY OR AREA): Galveston Bay Coast- Beach City to Harris County Border DISTANCE INLAND TO DEBRIS LINE (FT/M): 0-2,000/0-600 DISTANCE INLAND OF SURGE INUNDATION (FT/M): None beyond debris line MAJOR FLOOD SOURCES: Galveston Bay MAP PANEL NAMES AND NUMBERS: Morgan Point – 22 Umbrella Point – 23 COUNTY: Galveston LOCATION (CITY OR AREA): Galveston Island DISTANCE INLAND TO DEBRIS LINE (FT/M): 0-8,300/0-2,530 DISTANCE INLAND OF SURGE INUNDATION (FT/M): None beyond debris line MAJOR FLOOD SOURCES: Gulf of Mexico (West Bay and Galveston Bay) MAP PANEL NAMES AND NUMBERS: Galveston – 41 Lake Como – 44 San Luis Pass – 45 Sea Isle – 43 The Jetties – 42 Virginia Point – 40 COUNTY: Galveston LOCATION (CITY OR AREA): Gulf of Mexico Side of Bolivar Peninsula DISTANCE INLAND TO DEBRIS LINE (FT/M): 0-4,500/0-1,400 DISTANCE INLAND OF SURGE INUNDATION (FT/M): None beyond debris line MAJOR FLOOD SOURCES: Gulf of Mexico MAP PANEL NAMES AND NUMBERS: Caplen – 39 Flake – 38 Frozen Point – 33 Galveston – 41 High Island – 34 The Jetties – 42 COUNTY: Galveston LOCATION (CITY OR AREA): East Bay Side of Bolivar Peninsula DISTANCE INLAND TO DEBRIS LINE (FT/M): 1,000-12,0002/300-3,700 Note: The bay side of Bolivar Peninsula consists of marshy areas and several water bodies and is not a solid land mass. DISTANCE INLAND OF SURGE INUNDATION (FT/M): None beyond debris line MAJOR FLOOD SOURCES: East Bay MAP PANEL NAMES AND NUMBERS: Caplen – 39 Flake – 38 Frozen Point – 33 High Island – 34 Port Bolivar – 37 COUNTY: Harris LOCATION (CITY OR AREA): Coast- Border of Chambers County to Bayside Terrace DISTANCE INLAND TO DEBRIS LINE (FT/M): 0-13,000/0-4,000 DISTANCE INLAND OF SURGE INUNDATION (FT/M): None MAJOR FLOOD SOURCES: Gulf of Mexico (Crystal Bay, Galveston Bay) MAP PANEL NAMES AND NUMBERS: La Porte – 21 Morgan Point – 22 COUNTY: Jefferson LOCATION (CITY OR AREA): Coast- Border with Chambers County to just west of Sabine DISTANCE INLAND TO DEBRIS LINE (FT/M): 0-1,000/0-300 DISTANCE INLAND OF SURGE INUNDATION (FT/M): None beyond debris line MAJOR FLOOD SOURCES: Gulf of Mexico MAP PANEL NAMES AND NUMBERS: Clam Lake – 29 Mud Lake – 35 South of Star Lake – 36 Star Lake – 28 COUNTY: Jefferson LOCATION (CITY OR AREA): Sabine DISTANCE INLAND TO DEBRIS LINE (FT/M): 600-3,000/180-900 DISTANCE INLAND OF SURGE INUNDATION (FT/M): 1,000-20,000/300-6,100 Note: Distance inland from the debris line. MAJOR FLOOD SOURCES: Gulf of Mexico MAP PANEL NAMES AND NUMBERS: Sabine Pass – 30 COUNTY: Jefferson LOCATION (CITY OR AREA): Just north of Sabine to Port Arthur, Beaumont, and the border with Hardin County DISTANCE INLAND TO DEBRIS LINE (FT/M): None DISTANCE INLAND OF SURGE INUNDATION (FT/M): 0-6,000/0-1,800 Note: Distance inland from channel bank of flooding source. MAJOR FLOOD SOURCES: Sabine Lake, Neches River MAP PANEL NAMES AND NUMBERS: Port Arthur North - 14 Port Arthur South – 20 Sabine Pass – 30 West of Greens Bayou – 15 COUNTY: Jefferson LOCATION (CITY OR AREA): South Beaumont, West Port Arthur DISTANCE INLAND TO DEBRIS LINE (FT/M): None DISTANCE INLAND OF SURGE INUNDATION (FT/M): see maps for details MAJOR FLOOD SOURCES: Willie Slough GullyMAP PANEL NAMES AND NUMBERS: Alligator Hole Marsh – 18 Big Hill Bayou – 19 Fannett East – 12 Port Acres – 13 COUNTY: Jefferson/Orange LOCATION (CITY OR AREA): From Port Arthur north to Hardin County along Neches River DISTANCE INLAND TO DEBRIS LINE (FT/M): None DISTANCE INLAND OF SURGE INUNDATION (FT/M): 0-25,000/0-6,100 Note: Distance inland from channel bank of flooding source. MAJOR FLOOD SOURCES: Neches River MAP PANEL NAMES AND NUMBERS: Beaumont East – 8 Pine Forest – 5 Port Arthur North – 14 Terry – 9 Voth – 4 COUNTY: Orange LOCATION (CITY OR AREA): Orange Border with Jefferson County and Louisiana DISTANCE INLAND TO DEBRIS LINE (FT/M): None DISTANCE INLAND OF SURGE INUNDATION (FT/M): 24,000/7,315 13,000/3,962 MAJOR FLOOD SOURCES: Neches River MAP PANEL NAMES AND NUMBERS: Sabine River Echo – 7 Mauriceville – 6 Orange – 11 Orangefield – 10 4. Distance inland from channel bank of flooding source. In Chambers County, the WWL that falls within the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, located along the southern border of the county, extends up to approximately 7 miles (11 km) inland (see map panels 24-26 and 32-34). The WWL extending from Smith Point to Anahuac, as shown on map panels 17, 24, and 31, reaches from several blocks inland to 1.2 miles (1.9 km) inland. The remaining portion of Chambers County, which stretches from Anahuac to the border of Harris County and is shown on map panels 16, 17, 22, and 23, has a WWL that reaches up to 4 miles (6 km) inland in the marshy areas to the northeast of Dutton Lake and Cotton Lake. The WWL in Harris County, which extends from the border of Chambers County to Bayside Terrace, reaches up to 2.5 miles (4 km) inland along the San Jacinto River and is shown on map panels 21 and 22. In Galveston County, Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula experienced a relatively mild ocean surge. The WWL follows the perimeter of both Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula and extends from the coastline to approximately 1.6 miles (2.6 km) and 2.3 miles (3.7 km), respectively (see map panels 34, 37-39, and 40-45). The most damage caused by coastal storm surge effects was observed in Jefferson County. Although the hurricane surge was held back by an extensive levee system protecting Port Arthur, Jefferson County sustained heavy damage from Rita’s winds. The WWL is shown as both a debris line and inland inundation in this county on map panels 4, 5, 8, 9, 12-15, 18-20, 27-30, 35, and 36. The debris line extends from the border of Chambers County to Sabine and reaches up to 3,300 feet (84 meters) inland. The inundation area extends up the Neches River from Port Arthur past Beaumont to Jasper and Hardin Counties; surge effects reach to the northern edge of Jefferson County and thus the WWL extends to this area stretching approximately 25 miles (40 km) from the confluence with Sabine Lake. Within Jefferson County the inundation area extends up to approximately 2 miles (3 km) inland from the Neches River channel bank. Orange County also sustained heavy damage from Rita’s winds. The inundation extends up to 2.5 miles (4.0 km) inland from the Sabine River channel bank along the eastern border of Orange County, Texas and Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. An inundation area also covers up to 5 miles (8 km) inland from the Neches River along the border of Orange County and Jefferson County. Orange County is shown on map panels 3, 5-7, 8-11, 14, and 15. Conclusions Storm surge and wind from Hurricane Rita clearly had a damaging effect along the Texas coastline. The coastal areas of Texas were vulnerable to Hurricane Rita’s coastal storm surge due to the low-lying shore and extensive wetlands. However, as the upper Texas coast was in the left front hurricane quadrant where the forward speed of the storm did not add to the magnitude of the maximum wind speeds, Texas experienced a relatively low coastal storm surge compared to Louisiana. The coastal surge was significant enough to form debris lines along the coastline of Galveston Bay, around the perimeters of Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula, and along the southern border of Jefferson County. Further east, in Jefferson and Orange Counties, surge induced flooding spread along the Neches and Sabine Rivers reaching as far as 5 miles (8 km) inland from the rivers’ channel banks and upstream as much as approximately 25 miles (40 km) Appendix A: Wind Water Line Data Points Appendix A contains a data table for the WWL data points. DUE TO PRIVACY ISSUES (ADDRESSES ARE INCLUDED TO IDENTIFY POINT LOCATIONS), THIS APPENDIX IS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE VERSION OF THE REPORT POSTED ON THE FEMA WEBSITE. Appendix B: Photographs Appendix B contains an index and thumbnails of the photographs. The naming convention for the photographs uses the data point ID Number (RTXC-XX-XX) and then a sequential number for the photograph(s) associated with that ID Number (RTXC-XX-XX-1, RTXC-XX-XX-2). In most instances, two photographs were taken for each data point; however, when additional information was needed, three photographs were taken. DUE TO PRIVACY ISSUES, THIS APPENDIX IS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE VERSION OF THE REPORT POSTED ON THE FEMA WEBSITE. Appendix C: Debris Line and Inundation Mapping Summary (HMTAP T.O. 443) Appendix C contains a summary report from HMTAP Task Order 443: Rapid Response, Aerial Radar – Texas and Louisiana. The aerial imagery collected under this task order was used to delineate a debris line and flood boundaries that served as base data for HMTAP Task Order 446, Rapid Response, Hurricane Rita Wind Water Line – Texas. WWL data points were used in conjunction with these data to delineate the WWL. Appendix D: Notes on Analysis of Wind Water Line Data Points Appendix D contains a record of the comparison of the photointerpreted data to the field data and the actions taken to resolve any differences between the two. Where photointerpreted data were not available, notes on how the WWL data points were used are included. Appendix E: Wind Water Line Maps Appendix E contains the map panels illustrating the location of the Wind Water Line from Rita along the northeastern coastline of Texas. 1 The flooding type is provided in a column of Appendix A for each point. While the naming convention for RHWMs and CHWMs generally includes a ‘C’ or an ‘R’ within the point name to indicate the type of flooding, for Task Orders 444 and 449 these labels were not always true. Therefore, the flooding type data from Appendix A should be used. HMTAP Task Order 446 February 28, 2006 Hurricane Rita Rapid Response Page ii Wind Water Line Report – Texas Final Report Hurricane Rita Rapid Response Page 6 Wind Water Line Report - Texas Final Report Hurricane Katrina Rapid Response Wind Water Line Report – Texas Final Report Hurricane Rita Rapid Response Wind Water Line Report – Texas Final Report