UTA expert urges overhaul of flood warning system
Just weeks after catastrophic flooding claimed more than 100 lives in Central Texas, The University of Texas at Arlington’s Nick Fang offered state lawmakers expert guidance on how to design, implement, sustain and operate an effective statewide flood warning system.
Testifying at a joint hearing of the Texas Senate and House committees on disaster preparedness and flooding, Dr. Fang—a nationally recognized expert in hydrology and flood modeling—stressed that a successful flood warning system requires more than technology alone; it must also include sustained investment, human oversight and public education.
“A flood warning system is not just about the system itself,” Fang said. “You need the infrastructure—the models, the computational systems—and you also need human decision-makers, as you cannot solely depend on the system to make decisions.”
Speaking at the Hill Country Youth Event Center in Kerrville, Texas, Fang told legislators that the system must be tailored to Texas’ diverse geography and climate, with different approaches for different regions.
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“Texas is big. We have very sophisticated terrains and different climatic zones,” he said. “We have to tailor the system for different zones—and universities like UTA are here to help with that.”
Fang is a founding researcher of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education, and Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED) Center at Rice University and has worked closely with the National Weather Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He has spent more than 18 years addressing surface water and groundwater challenges across the country, including floodplain studies, reservoir operations, water infrastructure modeling and real-time flood prediction. His work has supported communities in Texas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Connecticut, California and Louisiana.
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He emphasized that building and maintaining a robust flood warning system requires upfront and recurring funding—for operations, maintenance, and research and development. He also pointed to the need for coordination among state agencies, local governments and research institutions.
Fang’s testimony comes as state leaders weigh legislative actions to strengthen emergency preparedness following the deadly July floods that devastated parts of Central Texas.
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2025, The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of the thriving Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With a student body of over 41,000, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.