Meetings were in person at the Lamar University campus in Beaumont, Texas, or through a virtual option.

For membership inquiries or to access previous lectures, please contact lhaselbach@lamar.edu. The same email address can be used if you're interested in joining us or presenting at our monthly meetings.

SETxFCS monthly meeting 58 (12/17/2024):

• Summary: Presentation on High Flood Risk Properties by FEMA. FEMA Flood Loss Data Fact Sheet: FEMA Fact Sheet: Repeat Flood Data Available to Communties
  • Presenter: Dana Snyder

• Summary: Recent, current and future projects of DD6
  • Presenter: Remington Whitt

SETxFCS monthly meeting 57 (11/12/2024):

• Summary: An update on their Flood Community Assistance Program (CAP) team and how they provide assistance to flood plain administrators (FPAs). You can find upcoming trainings on our Floodplain Management trainings webpage. One for FPAs is soon in League City so contact them to get registered! Presenter: Belle Gonzalez and Jasmine Ferrell (TWDB)
  • Presenter: Miguel A. Pavon Lizbet Morales Miranda

• Summary: Texas National Structure Inventory and counties First Floor Elevation (FFE) data update 2024. 
  • Presenter: Miguel A. Pavon and Lizbet Morales Miranda

SETxFCS monthly meeting 56 (10/11/2024):

•  Summary: Engineering with Nature (EWN) Topics and Presenters
  • Introduction to EWN - Duncan Bryant (USACE ERDC)
  • Chenier Plain - Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick
  • Vegetation ecology - Tosin Sekoni (USACE ERDC) via online

 

• Summary: Navigation and Beneficial UseTopics and Presenters
  • Sabine Neches Channel Expansion - Orlando Ramos-Gines, Liz Fiocchi (USACE Galveston)
  • Beneficial Use of Dredged Material - Rhonda Gregg Hirsch (USACE Galveston)

 

• Summary: Flood Risk Management and Levee SafetyTopics and Presenters
  • Sabine to Galveston Port Arthur - Liz Carstens (USACE SWG); Allen Sims (DD7)
  • Sabine to Galv. Orange Co- Liz Carstens (USACE SWG); Don Carona (OCDD), Dawn Pilcher
  • Levee Overtopping Simulator - Duncan Bryant (USACE ERDC)

 

• Summary: Floodplain ManagementTopics and Presenters
  • Village Creek and Pine Island Bayou- Hardin County Representative Jeff Leavins
  • State Flood Plan and Modeling – Tatum Lauten & Reem Zoun (TWDB)
  • Texas Coastal Resiliency Master Plan – Josh Oyer (GLO)
  • West Port Arthur Flood Plain Mgmt Study - Dorian Mrse: Lisa Mairs (USACE-SWG)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 55 (09/17/2024):

• Summary: Topobathymetric Surface Blending, USGS Coastal National Elevation Database (CoNED) Enhanced transitional blending between disparate bathymetric and near shore elevation models.
  • Presenter: Matt Cushing and Jeff Danielson (USGS)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 54 (08/20/2024):

• Summary: Elevation Derived Hydrography.
  • Presenter: Mischa Hey and Cathy Powers (NV5)
• Summary: Culvert Database and GIS integration  
  • Presenter: YJ Kim, X. Wu, D Maidment and G. Tooshi

SETxFCS monthly meeting 53 (07/16/2024):

• Summary: Findings of the Technical Mapping Advisory Council (TMAC) of FEMA.
  • Presenter: Craig Kalkorney (LJA)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 52 (06/11/2024):

• Summary: Update on Excessive Rainfall High Risk Statistics and discussed recent flooding and performance of flood inundation mapping.
  • Presenter: Jonathan Brazzell (NWS)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 51 (05/21/2024):

• Summary: The National Hurricane Program, some best practices in preparing for the season.
  • Presenter: Arianne Thomas FEMA Region 6 Regional Hurricane Program Manager
• Summary: Presented on Flood Insurance
  • Presenter: Gilbert Giron FEMA Regional Flood Insurance Liaison Region 6

SETxFCS monthly meeting 50 (04/16/2024):

• Summary: Update on the Low-Cost Flood Sensor Network for SETx.
  • Presenter: Nick Brake and Hossein Hariri Asli

SETxFCS monthly meeting 49 (03/19/2024):

• Summary: The Replacement of Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) to National Water Prediction Service (NWPS)
  • Presenter: Jonathan Brazzell (NWS)
• Summary: The SETx Pilot of the National Topography Model (NTM). Thanks to all of them for great presentations.
  • Presenter: Jeff Danielson and Cynthia Miller-Corbett (USGS)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 48 (02/20//2024):

• Summary: Storm Spotter Class
  • Presenter: Doug Cramer (NWS)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 47 (12/12/2023):

• Summary: GLO CMP Findings on bacteria Leaching in Neches River Tidal area
  • Presenter: Qin Qian (LU)
• Summary: Developing a Strategy to Minimize the Impact of Storm Events on Water Quality and Quantity
  • Presenter: Ali Saleh (Tarleton)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 46 (11/14/2023):

• Summary: presented on Funding Opportunities.
  • Presenter: Cody Ransone Flood Mitigation Grant Coordinator at the TWDB
• Summary: presented on Gulf Marine Minerals Program of Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (DOI – BOEM).
  • Presenter: Jessica Mallindine

SETxFCS monthly meeting 45 (10/13/2023):

• Summary: Meet the USACE SWG Colonel and Chiefs, County and State Officials for our second annual Big Flood Meet.

SETxFCS monthly meeting 44 (09/19/2023):

• Summary: Presentation on the newly developed culvert dataset for SETx and additional work on the 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP).
  • Presenter: Silvia Terziotti (USGS)
• Summary: Presentation on Enhancing Resilience of Energy and Water Supply Infrastructure Along the Texas Coast through Integrated Climate-Informed Adaptation Strategies
  • Presenter: Debalina Sengupta (Sea Grant)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 43 (08/22/2023):

• Summary: Overview the first Neches and Sabine River Flood Plans & future planning
  • Presenter: Rolando Ayala & Lizzie Bache also on behalf of Mat LeClair (Freese & Nichols)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 42 (07/25/2023):

• Summary: Update on TIFF (Texas Integrated Flood Framework)
  • Presenter: Shahidul Islam (USACE)
• Summary: Delivering Flood Inundation Mapping Services to the Nation. Katie Landry-Guyton provided the link to InFRM for future maps  InFRM link.
  • Presenter: Jonathan Brazzell (NWS)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 41 (06/20/2023):

• Summary: Updated on commissioned High-Frequency Radar units for near-surface currents on Sabine Lake and Galveston Bay.
  • Presenter: Chris Fuller
• Summary: Update on GLO Flood work in Eastern Texas
  • Presenter: Bart Standley

SETxFCS monthly meeting 40 (05/16/2023):

• Summary: Fathom Flood Risk website & its development
  • Presenter: Andrew Smith
• Summary: Discussion on Blupix App; for real-time flood information using stop signs
  • Presenter: Amir Bezaden (TAMU)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 39 (04/18/2023):

• Summary: review of the NOAA grant on Flood Inundation & Governance Mapping in SETx
  • Presenter: Paola Passalacqua and Patrick Bixler(UT)
• Summary: Harvey & the future
  • Presenter: Nielsen-Gamman

SETxFCS monthly meeting 38 (03/21/2023):

• Summary: We hosted a great local panel on SETx Sustainable Stormwater Practices featuring the Halbouty pumpstation, Beaumont Soccer Fields and the Big Thicket
  • Presenter: Allen Sims (DD7), Michelle Falgout (Jeff. Co. Engr.), Butch Wilson (DD6), Ellen Buchanan and Interpretative Ranger Scott Sharaga

SETxFCS monthly meeting 37 (02/21/2023):

• Summary: DD6 modeling by Freese and Nichols
  • Presenter: Hector Olmos
• Summary: Conservation Funding: Neches River Property Buyouts
  • Presenter: Ellen Buchanan and Julie Shackelford

SETxFCS monthly meeting 36 (12/13/2022):

• Summary: Presented on Flooding Funding.
  • Presenter: Mark Evans (Freese and Nichols)
• Summary: Presented on Natural and Nature Based designs.
  • Presenter: Arsum Pathank (NWF)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 35 (11/14/2022):

• Summary: Presented on the Sabine to Galveston projects and the Coastal Texas Resiliency Improvement Program.
  • Presenter: Kelly Burks-Copes
• Summary: Presented on soliciting input on a home elevation user-friendly mobile app decision tool.
  • Presenters: Sea Grant and Dr. Nur Yazdani (UT Arlington)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 34 (10/18/2022 - 10/19/2022):

• Summary: Presented on historical and real-time flood data.
  • Presenters: Tyler Payne (GLO), David Maidment (UT), Suzanne Pierce (TDIS)
• Summary: Panels on Flooding

 SETxFCS monthly meeting 33 (08/16/2022):

• Summary: Presented on the 3D Nation, an initiative of the USGS and NOAA.
  • Presenter: Sue Hoegberg (Dewberry)
• Summary: Presented on the Sabine Neches Waterway Deepening project.
  • Presenter: Sherry Willey (USACE)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 32 (07/23/2022):

• Summary: Presented on how people perceive risk and the responses to a real-world hurricane threat.
  • Presenter: Julie Demuth (NCAR)
• Summary: Presented on the subsidence area adjustment that has been happening using GPS in SETx.
  • Presenter: Ibraheem Ali (Blucher Institute) 

SETxFCS monthly meeting 31 (06/15/2022):

• Summary: Presented on how to interpret excessive rainfall outlooks.
  • Presenter: Jonathan Brazzell (NWS)
• Summary: Presented two ongoing Lamar University students' research to gain feedback from attending members.
  • Presenters: Liv Haselbach (Lamar University), Parker Lee (Lamar University), Nayana Muppavarapu (Lamar University)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 30 (05/25/2022):

• Summary: Presented on the Gulf Coast Protection District activities.
  • Presenter: Nicole Sunstrum (GCPD)
• Summary: Presented on the Texas Coastal Exchange and the 100-mile living shoreline.
  • Presenters: Jim Blackburn (Rice), Lalise Mason (TCE)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 29 (04/22/2022):

• Summary: Presented on the current NOAA Grant and how local governance networks help shape resilience efforts.
  • Presenters: Dr. Paola Passalacqua (UT), Patrick Bixler (UT)
• Summary: Presented on the flood emergency response exercise that Beaumont performed with TxDOT.
  • Presenter: Dr. David Maidment (UT Austin)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 28 (03/23/2022):

• Summary:Spoke about the Method of Distribution Process for the Mitigation Funds. Over 140 million dollars are available from HUD for the 3-county region (Orange, Jefferson, Hardin).
  • Presenter: Shanna Burke (SETRPC)
• Summary: Updated on the other Infrastructure Competition based on TS Imelda.
  • Presenter: Rhonda Masters (GLO)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 27 (02/16/2022):

• Summary:Post Harvey Development Pros & Cons Panel.
  • Presenters: Jon Steiber (Harris County), Choyce Morrow (Houston DPW)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 26 (01/19/2022):

• Summary: Updated on the extensive GLO River Basin Flood Study: Eastern Region in the Sabine and Neches Watersheds.
  • Presenters: Bart Standley (RPS), Col. (Ret.) Chris Sallese (Dannenbaum Engr. Co.)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 25 (12/15/2021):

• Summary 1: Presented on the dozens of IoT low-cost flood sensors from DHS-S&T so far deployed throughout the region. They also showed the various dashboards they are working with and spoke about possible future data transfer options.
  • Presenters: Dr. Nicholas Brake (Lamar), Remington Whitt (City of Beaumont), Scott Hall (LNVA)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 24 (11/17/2021):

• Summary: Presentation on the NOAA Atlas 14.
  • Presenters: Jonathan Brazzell (NWS), Katie Landry-Guyton (NWS)
• Summary: Presented on Rainfall & Flood Frequency and design considerations and also related it to NOAA Atlas 14.
  • Presenter: Jason Caldwell (Wood)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 23 (10/13/2021):

• Summary: Presented onthe Geodetic Controls: SETx Suppression Area Adjustment. They have completed their field campaign on GPS observations for the greater southeast Texas area, of which approximately 19 benchmarks are in the eight-county region that we mainly focus on. This data will be submitted to OPUS (Online Positioning User Service) and then for blue booking at the NGS (National Geodetic Survey) and hopefully available to us in the spring of 2022.
  • Presenter: Ibrahim Ali (Blucher Institute)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 22 (09/15/2021):

• Summary: Provided information and solicited input to project ideas for the 2023 Coastal Resiliency Plan. Please contact him directly if you have project ideas or would like to be part of the Region 1 TAC.
  • Presenter: Josh Oyer (TxGLO)
• Summary: Presented on the IH-10 Hydraulic Design and Resilience Assessment Status.
  • Presenters: RoseMarie Klee (TxDOT), Rob Armstrong (Huitt-Zollars)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 21 (08/18/2021):

• Summary: Presented on nature-Based solutions and showed how for instance the Neches has moved over time and there is a very large historic floodplain.
  • Presenter: Dr. Matt Berg
• Summary:Gauge Update from Liv. The first batch of 28 flood sensors arrived on August 11, 2021, more are expected in a week or two. They are at the County Courthouse.

SETxFCS monthly meeting 20 (07/21/2021):

• Summary: Presentation on “NHC Forecast Verification”.
  • Presenter: John Cangialosi (NHC)
• Summary: Representatives from Freese and Nichols on behalf of the Neches and Sabine River Flood Planning Groups of the TWDB summarized a survey to gather input on flooding in the 2 watersheds.
• Summary: Presented "A Climate-Informed Decision Support System For Appraising Adaption Measures To Reduce Flooding Risks For Se Texas".
  • Presenter: Dr. Yu Zhang (UT Arlington)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 19 (06/16/2021):

• Summary: listen in to the NWS briefing on the storm which is fortunately bypassing us this weekend and spoke about TDEM storm staging needs.
  • Presenter: Carman Apple (TDEM)
• Summary:  Liv mentioned that the legal agreements have been approved for this region to acquire 125 flood sensors through the DHS. 
• Summary: Presentation on 3-D cameras that TDEM acquired during the pandemic and deployed for damage and debris assessment after the tornado in Onalaska, TX. The reconnaissance missions are run by talented civil air patrol members. A priority is for areas that might meet a Presidential Declaration threshold. 
  • Presenter: Mike Ouimet (TDEM)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 18 (06/02/2021):

• Summary:The TIFF (Texas Integrated Flooding Framework project with Texas General Land Office and TWDB in partnership with USGS and USACE) and the InFrm model. TIFF is for the Harvey impacted area and launched in November and goes for 3 years.
  • Presenter: Sam Rendon (USGS)
• Summary:Updates on new things at the NWS and the upcoming hurricane season.
  • Presenter: Jonathon Brazzell (NWS)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 17 (04/21/2021):

• Summary: USACE summarizing current and future projects in the Savine Neches Waterways. USACE is also adding offices in the region to handle the large amount of work with one in Orange County, TX opening soon.
  • Presenter: Time White (USACE)
• Summary: Regional Flood Planning Groups in Region 5 (Neches) and 4 (Sabine). The sponsors who coordinate the meetings are the LNVA and the SRA respectively and both planning groups have chosen Freese and Nichols as their technical consultant.
• Summary: Updated on the Low-cost sensor project where we have the opportunity to get more than one hundred flood sensors from the DHS and hope to have many deployed this year.
  • Presenter: Liv Haselbach (Lamar University)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 16 (03/17/2021):

• Summary: NASA SPORT Stream Height Forecast Project: Using methods to predict stream heights at various locations farther into the future.
  • Presenters: Kris White (NOAA), Andrew White (NASA)
• Summary: Resiliency efforts with respect to flooding.
  • Presenter: Adam Jack (TxDOT)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 15 (03/03/2021):

• Summary: River forecasting and flood mapping programs and future plans of NOAA West Gulf Coast River Forecast Center.
  • Presenter: Kris Lander (NOAA)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 14 (01/20/2021):

• Summary: GLO CMP Project: Location of High Frequency Radar Network for Texas Bays and Ports.
  • Presenter: Christopher Fuller (RATES)
• Summary: LVNA Network’s focus on water supply and distribution.
  • Presenter: Scott Hall
• Summary: Summary on November HSEEP Exercise
  • Presenter: Christine Theis
• Summary: Newly formed task groups are Historical Flooding, Terrain Modeling, Gauges, and Communication.
  • Presenter: Liv Haselbach
• Summary: Potential Low-Cost Sensor program coming to SETX

SETxFCS monthly meeting 13 (12/16/2020):

• Summary: Overview of the National Water Dashboard and Primer on the USGS Gauge Tool.
  • Presenter: Daniel Pearson (USGS)
• Summary: USGS Elevation Integration program. Expected completion of coastal integration with the land of areas east of Texas early in 2021.
  • Presenters: Jeff Danielson, Cynthia Corbett.
• Summary: Newly formed task groups are Historical Flooding, Terrain Modeling, Gauges, and Communication.
  • Presenter: Liv Haselbach
• Summary: Summary on November HSEEP Exercise.
  • Presenter: Christine Theis

SETxFCS monthly meeting 12 (11/17/2020):

• Summary: Focused on HSEEP-compliant Virtual Exercise which evaluated https://setexasrain.org/ from a public safety perspective. The exercise focused on data obtained from the website during Hurricane Delta (Oct 2020).
  • Planning Team: Carmen Apple and Edward Norman (TDEM); Harry Evans, Christine Thies, Larry Jantzen and David Arctur (UT)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 11 (10/12/2020):

• Summary: Focused on TxDOT stream gauge project. Presented on the area covering with National Terrain model work in SETx and also on the SETx Flood Topography Model.
  • Presenters: David Maidment (UT), Scott Grzyb (USGS), Al Rea (USGS), Xing Wu (LU), Mubarak Adesina (LU), Amin Kiaghadi (TWDB)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 10 (09/16/2020):

• Summary: Texas General Land Office presented on planning grants & regional watershed studies. Chris Sallese (Dannenbaum Engineering) was introduced as leading the Region One River Basins Planning.
  • Presenters: Tyler Payne (GLO)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 9 (08/12/2020):

• Summary: Presented on various aspects of drainage in Jefferson, Orange, and Chambers counties.
  • Presenters: Joseph Majdalani (DD6), Alan Sims (LJA representing DD7, DD3 and TBCD), Don Carona (Orange County Drainage District)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 8 (07/15/2020):

• Summary: Presentation from West Gulf River Forecast Center on NOAA/NWS Flood Inundation Mapping Across Texas
  • Presenters: Mark Null, Derek Giardino (WGRFC) 

SETxFCS monthly meeting 7 (06/17/2020):

• Summary: Focused on the data of high-water marks, introduction on reading post-event high water marks and the related online sources.
  • Presenters: Jeff East (USGS)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 6 (05/13/2020):

• Summary: Executed SETxFCS Virtual Flood Exercise following the Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) to help non-public safety groups better understand the data needs of public safety personnel during a flood.
  • Planning Team: Carmen Apple and Edward Norman (TDEM); Harry Evans, Christine Thies, Larry Jantzen and David Arctur (UT) Page 2 of 2 October 2020

SETxFCS monthly meeting 5 (04/16/2020):

• Summary: Focused on finding more resources readily. Funding has been appropriated for national hydrography mapping for Jefferson and Orange Counties.
  • Presenters: Jonathan Brazzell NOAA/NWS 

SETxFCS monthly meeting 4 (03/11/2020):

• Summary: Focused on USGS plans to conduct a case study in SE Texas and then upcoming HSEEP-compliant exercise (Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program) in April.
  • Presenters: Jeff Danielson (USGS), Carman Apple (TDEM)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 3 (02/12/2020):

• Summary: Focused on R.A.I.N, which is the Southeast Texas Regional Alerting & Information Network Portal. Also discussed ways to provide an on-line presence for the SETxFCS.
  • Presenters: Mark Howard

SETxFCS monthly meeting 2 (01/08/2020):

• Summary: Focused on hearing from the SE Texas Local & Regional members and their needs to best serve the area for flood preparedness.
  • Presenters: Andy Carter (LandDev Consulting)

SETxFCS monthly meeting 1 (12/11/2019):

• Summary: Focused on updates of regional projects (GLO), federal projects which could support data creation in the area, and workgroup creation.
  • Presenters: David Maidment (UT Austin), Alan Rhea and Jason Stoker (USGS), and Dr. Clint Dawson (UT Austin)

SETxFCS kick off meeting (11/13/2019):

• Summary: Discussed the topics on coordination between Lamar and UT, flood emergency response, flood mitigation, industrial issues, GIS base mapping, data assembly and robust access, an enactment exercise and development of protocols and a maintenance plan.