Simulation of coastal inundation instigated by storm surge, river discharge, and precipitation in the chesapeake bay using sub-grid modeling with lidar digital elevation models

A storm surge is an aperiodically anomalous rise of sea level accompanied by a tropical or extratropical storm system, wherein water level is the distinction between the observed sea level and the forecasted water level (Blain et al., 1994). Several distinct processes can potentially alter the water level in tidal regions; the pressure effect, the wind effect, the Coriolis effect, the wave effect, and the rainfall effect (Harris, 1963). Coastal inundation initiated via storm surge along the U.S. East Coast is a substantial threat to residential properties, community infrastructure, and human life. Furthermore, prolonged inundation from heavy precipitation and upland drainage during and after the storm has passed can significantly increase coastal flood damage. There are additional implications for inundated coastal habitats, as a major flood event can dramatically alter the regular function of an ecosystem. In order to mitigate human life loss and damage of coastal properties, several numerical models have been developed to provide an early warning system for storm surge and inundation events in various coastal study areas (Blumberg and Mellor, 1987; Flather et al., 1991; Leuttich et al., 1992; Jelesnianski et al., 1992; Westerink et al., 1994; Zhang et al., 2008; Casulli and Stelling, 2011).