Development of a High Resolution Flood Inundation Model of Charles City, Iowa

The Iowa Flood Center was created in response to the devastating effects of the June 2008 Flood in Iowa. In an effort to increase flood preparedness, inundation maps are being created to identify high risk zones. Charles City is one of the cities in Iowa which sustained major damage during the flood. Ground surface elevations obtained through the use of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) are combined with stream channel depths acquired by a sonar system used by the Iowa Institute for Hydraulic Research (IIHR) and geometric data of bridges and dams to create a digital model of the Charles City area. Flood simulation software then uses the digital model with river flow data from the USGS to simulate flood inundation levels. The results from the flood simulation are then used to create maps for a number of flows. The inundation maps can help mitigate damage resulting from future flood events.