PROJECT ALERT NOTICE (TX) Hurricane Harvey

Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2017 11:24:23 EDT

Summary: Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Texas coast as a Category 4 hurricane.

Hurricane Harvey officially made landfall along the Middle Texas Coast as a Category 4 Hurricane as of 10 PM on August 25 between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor about 4 miles east of Rockport. Harvey has weakened overnight to a Category 1 Hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and is slowly moving northwestward. The storm system is anticipated to stall or move slowly and remain in the South Central Texas area for 5 to 7 days.

The National Weather Service is forecasting life-threatening and catastrophic heavy rainfall in excess of 30 inches along the coast and widespread 10-20 inches of rainfall inland. These amounts are
predicted to cause significant flooding, especially in the following river basins: Nueces, Lavaca, San Antonio, Colorado, San Bernard, and Brazos.

All USGS gages are currently operational and all USGS employees are accounted for. Crews are on stand by in Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Fort Worth offices. Streams and rivers are on the rise and some crews are planning to go out to do some high flow measurements. A crew is on stand by to assist with construction if any gages are damaged and 10 rapid deployment gages are available to deploy if needed. Water quality samplers and some discreet sampling that are contingent on higher flows will be done as conditions permit.

Prior to the event, the TXWSC deployed 16 storm surge sensors and one rapid deployment gages (https://stn.wim.usgs.gov/FEV/#HarveyAug2017). The sensors will be retrieved once conditions are safe.