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<br />P. Step 4 - Inform. Local Officials <br /> <br />Normally, a local flood warning system should specify precise, predefined <br /> <br />conditions that will determine the seriousness of the flood threat. When <br /> <br />these predefined conditions exist, the technical people responsible for <br /> <br />predicting the flood threat disseminate this information to appropriate local <br /> <br />officials. In the case of dam failure at a hydropower project or reservoir <br /> <br />licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the person responsible <br /> <br />for predicting the flood threat is often a consultant hired by the licensee. <br /> <br />[The consultant must collect all available data or make certain assumptions <br /> <br />about missing data, such as the time the dam failed, volume of water behind <br /> <br />the dam, etc. This data is required as input to a mathematical dam break <br />model, which will forecast the area of inundation caused by the dambreak.] It <br /> <br />is important to note that the consultant is not responsible for disseminating <br /> <br />this information to appropriate local officials; the licensee has that <br /> <br />responsibility. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Although disseminating a flood warning to the community is the responsibility <br />of the local warning coordinator, it is essential that dissemination <br /> <br />activities be coordinated with the closest NWS office and other need-to-know <br /> <br />agencies to assure that the warning messages are consistent. If the public <br /> <br />receives conflicting flood forecasts, it is unlikely to take action on any <br /> <br />forecas t. <br /> <br />G. Current Usage <br />Approximately 1000 local flood warning systems are currently in operation <br /> <br />36 <br />