Pin2Flood Project

Grant awarded to the University of Texas at Austin - Center for Water and the Environment

Click to watch video:  Pin2Flood Trailer Video 

Pin2Flood is an application which allows the on-scene first responder to make their own flood maps - on demand! By ‘dropping a pin’ at waters edge in the application map, the flood water boundary is automatically returned. From here, you can identify the impacted address points and roadways.

Pin2Flood is currently two applications—one for field responders (mobile device) and one for emergency managers (web-based). With both apps simultaneously displaying the same data, the result is a common operating picture with real-time flood impact maps.

 Pin2Flood TDEM Overview Document  

Since Pin2Flood returns the flood inundation (area that is flooded) with a single pin drop, Pin2Flood can be used in multiple scenarios:

• During a flood - for identification of flood extent
• Pre-planning - to help answer those "what if" questions or to highlight past event flood extent
• During-Incident Testing - identification of flood extent if the water reaches a certain point.

It can be used during a flooding event or even on a clear day ---- it is really up to the user.

Pin2Flood used map layers which are based on a hydrology calculation called HAND (Height Above Nearest Drainage) The general concept of HAND is simple—it is elevation contours based on the stream bed elevation rather than on sea level.

HAND provides a ‘topographic map’ of water coverage at 1 foot depth increments. When a first responder drops a pin at water’s edge, the system looks up the closest HAND contour at that location and immediately displays the flood inundation. While the math to generate HAND is complicated, the results are quick and easy to use. 

Dr. David Maidment, Dr. Paola Passalacqua, Dr. Ben Hodges, Chief Harry Evans (Retired), Chief Larry Jantzen (Retired), Christine Thies GISP, Andy Carter P.E., Dr. Tim Whitaker, Dr. David Arctur

Statewide implementation of a field/mobile flood mapping application to which provides real-time flood inundation and high-water marks.

The Pin2Flood project consists of two applications:

1. A mobile application for field responders that shows pin drops and flood extent
2. A web-based application for emergency managers in an emergency operations center (EOC) that shows pin drops, flood extents, population impact, with the ability to export data.

Objective: To move the Pin2Flood application from prototype to operational. COMPLETED! February 2022

The project will start with testing of the prototype application in Texas Division of Emergency Management's (TDEM) Region 6. A table top exercise will be conducted in each of the Region 6 districts to test the Pin2Flood application on functionality, ease of use and usefulness of data. 

The project will utilize the Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Process (HSEEP) for testing and will result in an improvement plan for the Pin2Flood application. The improvement plan will guide application changes and will result in a well-tested and user-friendly application

Objective: Conduct Orientation Workshops in each of the remaining regions. COMPLETED! October 2022

The project will conduct orientation workshops with TDEM Regions 1-5. Coordination will be through TDEM Assistant Chiefs and Section Chiefs and will focus on the District Coordinators and selected EMCs from the region.   

Year 1 is focused on Region 6. Below are the scheduled exercises and the attending agencies.

•  Exercise 1 - Requested Changes to Pin2Flood 
•  Exercise 2 - Requested Changes to Pin2Flood 
•  Exercise 3 - Requested Changes to Pin2Flood 
•  Exercise 4 - Requested Changes to Pin2Flood 
•  Exercise 5 - Requested Changes to Pin2Flood 

After conducting Year 1's testing with Region 6, both ESRI and the UT Team were able to finalize the Field Application, the EOC Dashboard, an Addressing Selection App, and Train-the-Trainer documents. All of these are accessible via the TDEM HUB 'Pin2Flood Launch Page', which is accessible to those with issued TDEM accounts.

This single webpage simplifies the access to each application for the user. In addition, it allows TDEM's Operations Technology a way to easily update each application without having to reissue a new web address if the path is changed.

The grant specifies that each TDEM Region receive training on both the field and EOC applications in the form of the Train-the-Trainer program. To achieve this with TDEM's already very busy schedule, the UT Team provided the following:

• TDEM's Texas Emergency Management Conference (May 30, 2023)
  • Train-the-Trainer Workshop / Friday June 2 / Larry Jantzen, Christine Thies
  • Pin2Flood Booth for walk-up training and information
• Texas Task Force 1 (June 14, 2023)
  • Training and Train-the-Trainer Workshop Combo / Harry Evans, Christine Thies
• Texas Task Force 2 (June 28, 2023)
  • Training and Train-the-Trainer Workshop Combo / Katie Breland, Christine Thies

To access Pin2Flood, you will need a TDEM GIS account. If you do not have a current TDEM account and are interested in joining the Pin2Flood TDEM Community, please use this survey to submit your information via this link or QR Code:  bit.ly/3lmL8Qb 

Principal Investigator/Project Manager - Dr. David Maidment  maidment@utexas.edu 

Project Lead - Harry Evans  harryevans@utexas.edu 

Project Team Member - Larry Jantzen  larry.jantzen@austin.utexas.edu 

Project Team Member - Christine Thies  christine.thies@austin.utexas.edu 

Project Team Member - Tom Dodds  thomas.dodds@austin.utexas.edu