Flood Threat Recognition System

In cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Weather Service (NWS), the District began implementing a Flood Threat Recognition System (FTRS) throughout the Clark County area in 1987. The FTRS includes a network of strategically located field stations which automatically report real-time data from nearly 350 meteorologic sensors to computerized base stations operated by each of the cooperating agencies. While more than 75 percent of the FTRS field stations are located in the Las Vegas Valley, gauges are also installed in the outlying areas of Clark County, including Laughlin, Searchlight, Jean, Goodsprings, Mesquite, Bunkerville, Moapa Valley and Indian Springs.

The FTRS provides valuable information on water levels, rainfall, and other meteorologic parameters. Information on wind speed and direction helps the NWS track severe storms in the Clark County area and issue more timely and site-specific weather statements than were previously possible. The District’s fully automated base station notifies staff, both in and out of the District’s offices, of potentially dangerous situations. Using computer linkups to the base station, staff can assess the potential for flooding and alert public works and other emergency response personnel.

The information provided by this system helps emergency response agencies to more effectively direct their limited resources. The District maintains three modems and a FTP site to provide local governments, the news media, and staff access to the FTRS. The District also provides access to the FTRS data via the internet. Both historic and current rain and weather data collected from any of the District’s field stations can be accessed on the District’s website.

The Flood Threat Recognition System area on our web site provides several maps and reports pertaining to meteorological events, both historical and current, in Clark County. If you want to see listings of the actual data reported by each gauge, this is the place to go.