Abstract

Bexar County dFIRM Project Management Utilizing GIS
Track: Water Resources
Author(s): Jose Fernandez, Previn Wong, Rell Fowler

Bexar County, Texas has a history of tragedy due to flash flooding. In 2004 FEMA's Map Modernization Project chose Bexar County to update the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) and create a digital version (dFIRM). The San Antonio River Authority was selected to be the project lead. This project was reviewed and planned utilizing GIS to manage and review the geographic region and its attributes. The project consisted of multiple governmental and private entities for oversight, surveying, modeling, data creation, and mapping. GIS scoped the project, planned the various partners study areas, and managed the surveying, aerial, and terrain data collection. Many obstacles were overcome with lessons learned from this project to help illuminate the intricacies and planning hurdles that accompany a long, large scale and laborious project. With the help from GIS, it is shared and managed more effectively.

Jose Fernandez
San Antonio River Authority
100 E. Guenther
San Antonio , Texas 78204
United States
Phone: 210-302-3675
E-mail: Josef@sara-tx.org

Previn Wong
San Antonio River Authority
100 E. Guenther
San Antonio , Texas 78204
United States
Phone: 210-302-3664
E-mail: pwong@sara-tx.org

Rell Fowler
Pape-Dawson Engineering
555 E. Ramsey
San Antonio , Texas 78216
United States
Phone: 210-375-9000
E-mail: RFowler@pape-dawson.com