Learn More
Hide
Download
Download a zip file that includes all the web pages and downloadable files from the student materialsFor the Instructor
These student materials complement the Coastal Processes, Hazards and Society Instructor Materials. If you would like your students to have access to the student materials, we suggest you either point them at the Student Version which omits the framing pages with information designed for faculty (and this box). Or you can download these pages in several formats that you can include in your course website or local Learning Managment System. Learn more about using, modifying, and sharing InTeGrate teaching materials.UNIVERSITY PARK ONLY: Formative Assessment: Analyzing a storm surge risk map
Instructions
One component of preparedness is understanding physical aspects of vulnerability to storm surge. Let us explore the existing physical vulnerability data – in this case, storm surge data – for Sarasota County and do some analyses with them. Sarasota County government has developed an interactive map to help residents understand the local risk of storm surge.
Click on the interactive map link. You should see a webpage that looks like this:
Credit: Sarasota County
You can see the interactive map on the right, and you can also search an address in the top-right corner of the map. In the right column, you can see three labels: map legends, direction tools, and routing tools. Map legends show the different legends of evacuation zones, evacuation routes, hospitals, and shelters. Direction tools and routing tools help you plan evacuation routes. Let us focus on the evacuation zone.
In order to help people understand their risk, the different risk zones are translated into different evacuation zones based on the potential heights of storm surge. Below is the translation between the risk zones and evacuation levels:
| Evacuation Zones | Storm surge heights needed to cover this zone (in feet above sea level) |
|---|---|
| Zone A | Up to 7 feet |
| Zone B | Up to 15 feet |
| Zone C | Up to 26 feet |
| Zone D | Up to 33 feet |
| Zone E | Up to 35 feet |
Bear in mind that the evacuation zones are not the same as the hurricane category. There are many factors that influence the relationship between hurricane category and storm surge heights, so we need to keep in mind that a strong hurricane might generate little storm surge, whereas a weak hurricane might generate a huge storm surge.
Files
Download Worksheet (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 88kB Sep7 16)
Submitting Your Assessment
Submit your worksheet in class.
