The intent of this chapter is to summarize technologies for real-time data collection and transmission
as well as the monitoring and forecasting systems that utilize these data. Emphasis is on flood
warning systems and general concepts of flood warning/preparedness programs, flood-threat recognition,
warning dissemination, emergency response, and plan management. The concepts of monitoring
and forecasting apply to other resource sectors having less time-critical response factors, such
as droughts. GIS concepts and tools play a central role in all aspects of data collection and archiving,
support for condition assessment through display and modeling, and message dissemination