Can a Data Scientist Drown a City in 3 Feet of Water?

Too Long; Didn't Read

The Red River of the North has flooded repeatedly throughout the centuries. It is highly prone to spring flooding because of its northward flow, the nearly-flat former lake bed of the valley, and ice formation on the river. In 1997, the water level in Red River raised to 54 feet and it drowned the entire city. 75% of people lost their homes, around 50,000 people were evacuated and estimated damages for the Red River region were US$3.5 billion. The National Weather Forecasting Agency later revealed that there is (+/-) 9 feet uncertainty in our forecasts based on average flood forecasts we made in the past.