Automated local evaluation in real time: a cooperative flood warning system for your community.

The Western Region of the National Weather Service, through its California Nevada River Forecast Center, has implemented a new cooperative flood warning system. This system, now installed in a number of California communities, is based upon Automated Local Evaluation in Real Time. These systems have already demonstrated a highly cost-effective capability to protect life and property. This publication describes the cooperative flood warning system and the ALERT (Automated Local Evaluation in Real Time) concept for handling data, which has produced these benefits and which has the potential for aiding many additional flood-threatened areas.