Arc StormSurge: Integrating Hurricane Storm Surge Modeling and GIS

Arc StormSurge is a data model that integrates geographic information systems and the hurricane wave and surge model SWAN+ADCIRC, which is the coupling of the Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) wave model and the Advanced Circulation (ADCIRC) hydrodynamic model. The Arc StormSurge data model is a geodatabase, which is a relational database that can contain georeferenced information. It includes feature classes in feature datasets and tables, all related among them through relationship classes, and raster catalogs and grids. In addition to the data model schema, Arc StormSurge includes a number of pre‐ and post‐processing tools that help integrate spatial data and numerical modeling. As an illustration, Arc StormSurge was used to support the modeling of Hurricane Bret, which made landfall in the Corpus Christi area in Texas in 1999. By using Arc StormSurge, it was possible to take advantage of already available geo‐referenced information (e.g., base maps, land cover datasets, and monitoring station locations) for the model setup, and for identifying spatial patterns in the model results by presenting them in map format.