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Sea-Level Sensors Provide Flood Data in Annapolis, Md.

Annapolis, a city expected to experience record flooding this year, is currently changing how City Dock — an area of land that connects the city’s downtown to the waterfront — looks and operates.

Annapolis
(TNS) — Annapolis, a city expected to experience record flooding this year, is currently changing how City Dock — an area of land that connects the city’s downtown to the waterfront — looks and operates. On Wednesday, researchers from the University of Maryland Climate Resilience Network and government leaders showed off Maryland Hydronet, a project designed to improve flood monitoring and emergency management along the Chesapeake Bay, at City Dock.

“When all these groups work together — academia, government and nonprofits — we can make sure the folks in Annapolis and everywhere are able to lead stable and productive lives,” said University of Maryland President Darryll Pines at the event.

The university-funded project is run by Hohonu, a public-private company that provides real-time sea-level monitoring using sensors and software. Brian Glazer, professor of Marine Geology and Geochemistry at the University of Hawaii and founder of Hohonu, said he began looking into how to provide affordable water-level monitoring technology in 2014.

The sensors are compact, solar-powered devices, roughly a foot in length. They are located at City Dock, the Annapolis Yacht Club, the Eastport Yacht Club, Annapolis Fleet Reserve, and the Annapolis Maritime Museum.

“We want to make sure that rigorous data is available to everyone,” Glazer said.

The five sensors were installed two months ago and track sea levels with sonar. Annapolis is on track to have the highest flooding year in its history, and the data will be used to inform decisions from the Harbor Master, the Office of Emergency Management and the Office of Economic Development on when to alert residents and business to prepare for incoming flooding.

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