This project plans to test two high frequency radar networks for measuring near surface currents on Sabine Lake and Galveston Bay. The team includes faculty from the University of Texas El Paso, the University of Texas RGV and Lamar University and RATES, Inc. Network installations are expected to be conducted in the spring of 2022. The two locations covering the lower Sabine Bay will be on Pleasure Island. Permission for the Sabine Lake installations has been coordinated through the City of Port Arthur and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The locations covering Galveston Bay are planned for two locations in Chambers County and one near the Moses Tide Gate in Galveston County. Coordination for the sites include Chambers County, the USACE, Galveston County and private property owners. Information from the data may facilitate spill countermeasures, surge prediction, search and rescue and other uses. It will be publicly available via NOAA’s National Data Buoy Center.
This project covers many counties in southeast Texas and is in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, the Southeast Texas Flood Control District and many municipal, county and private partners. During late 2021 and on through the spring of 2022 up to 80 low cost flood elevation sensors have been installed in various locations in the region with the help from the Lamar Flood Coordination Study Team, industry and the various governmental entities. The sensors have been installed for various uses such as for flood stages on the Neches River or other waterways, for information on flooding in neighborhoods, roadways or near critical infrastructure and for information on various storm drainage systems. The realtime data is being linked to a publicly available dashboard operated by the Sabine River Authority and the Lamar team is working on optimizing the dashboard displays for easier understanding by emergency management and other interested parties. The flood sensors will help with flood information coverage in the region and the data on the water levels will be useful both before, during and post the peak of an event to help decision makers more fully understand where the impacted areas and how better to proceed with recovery activities as the waters recede.