David C. Curtis has been applying new weather information technologies such as radar-rainfall estimates to hydrologic analysis and modeling since 1993. He developed and maintained a national database of rainfall estimates derived from both civilian and defense Doppler radars in the US. He helped develop Florida's statewide program of gage-adjusted radar rainfall estimates that encompasses all five water management districts in the state. With data starting from the mid 1990's Florida now enjoys the nation's largest and longest archive of high-resolution radar rainfall estimates.
He is pioneering methodologies to determine the spatial properties of individual storm cells using large calibrated radar-rainfall data sets. The results are leading to the development of new hydrologic design standards at locations across the United States and an improved understanding of the effect of microclimates on local ecosystems.
Dr. Curtis led several successful efforts to integrate real-time gage-adjusted radar rainfall estimates into flood warning systems and into supervisory control systems for real-time stormwater management.
