Flood forecasting in Honduras

Hurricane Mitch devastated large parts of Honduras. One of most significant causes of the destruction was flooding caused by excessive rainfall exacerbated by poor land use practices. National Weather Service has implemented a Technology Transfer Program for Hurricane Mitch recovery as part of a larger US Aid package. As part of that effort, we are implementing a network of automated precipitation stations, which, in conjunction with automated stream gauges installed by the USGS, will support flood forecasting for the upper portion of the Choluteca River. It was flooding in the upper Choluteca that devastated parts of Tegucigalpa. There are unique challenges in implementing a flood forecasting system dependent on computers, communications and trained personnel in Honduras. This paper describes the flood forecasting system in Honduras and the challenges in its implementation.