Dam Breach Floodwave Reporting for Hazard

Mapping
To address the California Office of Emergency Services requirements for dam breach area of inundation
and hazard maps, the following output data is generated during a FLO-2D model simulation. FLO-2D is a
two-dimensional flood routing model that doesnt use 1-D floodplain cross sections as is the case for
HEC-RAS models. Each grid element has a unique flow depth and 8-directions of flow velocity for each
computation timestep. For that reason, hazard map preparation may require a unique depiction of
some of the floodwave characteristics. To facilitate mapping the CalEMA floodwave parameters, an
output file (FLOODWAVETIME.OUT) is generated by FLO-2D at the end of the flood simulation. This file
has the following format:
Node X-coord Y-coord Floodwave Arrival Time Flood Time Peak Time Deflood Time Max WS
Each grid element is assigned a specific value of the above parameters at the end of the simulation. The
maximum values are tracked during the simulation on a computational timestep basis. The following
parameter definitions are used:
Floodwave Arrival Time: Time in hours from when the breach discharge exceeds 0.01 cfs or cms to when
the floodplain grid element flow depth exceeds 0.1 ft or 0.3 m. If the grid element has a channel
assignment, the time when the channel flow depth becomes one foot higher than the base flow (when
breach discharge > 0.01 cfs or cms) is reported.
Flood Time: Time (hours) from when the breach discharge exceeds 0.01 (cfs or cms) to when a given
grid element flow depth exceeds 0.5 ft or 0.15 m on the floodplain. If the grid element has a channel
assignment, the time to when the flow exceeds the lowest top of bank is reported.
Peak Time: Time (hours) from when the breach discharge exceeds 0.01 (cfs or cms) to when a given grid
element flow depth reaches a maximum depth. If the grid element has a channel assignment, the time
to when the channel flow reaches a maximum depth is reported.
Deflood Time: Time (hours) from when the flood arrives at a grid element (flow depth exceeds 0.5 ft or
0.15m) to the time when the flood recedes to a depth lower than 0.5 ft or 0.15 m. If the grid element
has a channel assignment, the Deflood Time is the time recorded from when the channel flow goes
overbank for the lowest top of bank to when water surface recedes to below that lowest top of bank
elevation.
Max WS: The maximum water surface for a given floodplain grid element is reported. If a channel is
assigned to the grid element, the maximum water surface for either the channel or the floodplain is
reported.

NOTES:
The peak discharge for a selected floodplain cross section or for each channel element is reported in
HYCROSS.OUT or HYCHAN.OUT respectively. The floodplain maximum width is available only for
assigned FLO-2D floodplain cross sections in the HYCROSS.OUT file.
When a floodplain grid element has the channel left bank assigned to it (in the CHAN.DAT file), the
model compares the various output parameters for the floodplain or channel and selects the
appropriate value. For example, the maximum water surface of the channel or floodplain for that grid
element is reported.
The parameters in FLOODWAVETIME.OUT can be easily mapped by simply deleting the header line and
selecting the first three columns (grid element x-coord y-coord) and any other column and pasting to
another file using Excel, TextPad or UltraEdit programs. Conversely, a copy of the original file can be
made and the unnecessary columns deleted. The remaining file can then be renamed to DEPFP.OUT
and plotted in Mapper or Maxplot post-processor programs as line contour or shaded contour maps. An
alternative method to create the parameter maps is to import the resulting file to GIS or CADD program.
If no levee or dam breach is simulated with the FLO-2D model, the FLOODWAVETIME.OUT file is still
populated with output data with a start time related to the commencement of the flood model (hour
0.0).