Hohonu, Inc., a University of Hawaiʻi technology startup specializing in environmental water level monitoring, has received grant funding from the University of Maryland to install new water level sensors in Annapolis, Maryland. The project is aimed at protecting coastal communities from flooding around the Chesapeake Bay and improving storm preparedness.
The initiative is a collaboration between the University of Maryland, City of Annapolis, and Hohonu and aims to address flooding concerns and provide valuable information for emergency management, adaptation, and mitigation efforts. Brian Glazer, CEO and co-founder of Hohonu and an oceanography associate professor at UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, is leading the project in Annapolis.
The growing demand for real-time data in flood monitoring is driving the need for this initiative. With the increased frequency and intensity of storms and flooding on the east coast of the United States, there is a need for more accurate and timely information to help plan future flood protection projects.
UH is supporting the project as a partial equity owner in Hohonu along with local nonprofits to democratize access to ocean observing technologies. The goal is to build resilience by creating predictive models for more frequent and intense flooding events.
Hohonu plans to deploy up to 20 sensors in locations around the Chesapeake Bay to provide vital information for Annapolis City Dock and other coastal communities. This data will help in planning future flood protection projects for Maryland’s capital city and surrounding areas. For more information about this project, visit SOEST’s website.
