June 14, 2024
Flooding poses a significant threat to coastal communities, and a new collaborative project aims to enhance flood resilience around the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. This initiative brings together Hohonu, Inc., a technology startup from the University of Hawaiʻi (UH), the University of Maryland, and the City of Annapolis to provide crucial data for emergency management, adaptation, and mitigation efforts.
Hohonu, providing environmental water level monitoring technology, is deploying its low-cost sensors within the Chesapeake Bay region, funded by a grant through the University of Maryland. This project is part of a larger strategy designed to address increasing flood risks.
“This is one of many projects that Hohonu is servicing on the east coast of the United States,” said Brian Glazer, CEO and co-founder of Hohonu and an oceanography associate professor at the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. “We are working to provide solutions for a growing demand for real-time data in flood monitoring as we see increased frequency and intensity of storms and flooding. Just this year, our sensors have monitored three named storms and over 50 distinct flood events across our 80 east coast locations.”
The project’s goal is to improve understanding of how to build resilience and develop predictive models for more frequent and severe flooding scenarios. Hohonu plans to deploy up to 20 sensors in strategic locations around the Chesapeake Bay, including the Annapolis City Dock, to furnish vital, real-time information. This data will enable coastal communities, including Maryland’s capital city, to better prepare for future flood protection projects.
For more information, visit the SOEST website.
