Rice University crafts pivotal new flood tracking system for Houston’s most vulnerable spots

HOUSTON, Texas — The recent Houston deluge is a sobering reminder of the constant potential of flooding here, especially in at-risk areas. To that end, a local university has devised a new tool to tackle high water threats in vulnerable spots.

Engineers at Rice University have crafted a new radar-based flood assessment, mapping and early-warning system to help planning for and responding to flooding at Houston hospitals and other critical facilities, namely on the watersheds of Brays, Sims, Hunting and White Oak bayous.

Dubbed the Flood Information and Response System (FIRST), the system covers several flood-prone and at-risk communities, including Kashmere Gardens, Gulfton, and Sunnyside, a press release notes.