Shore town installs numerous flood sensors to improve storm resiliency

A Cape May County municipality is enhancing its flood mitigation efforts through the placement of 15 small flood sensors, officials say.

Avalon teamed up with the Atlantic Cape Coalition and Stockton University’s Coastal Research Center to install the devices throughout the community that will calculate the amount of flooding and rainfall during coastal storms, according to a news release. 

“This is an important project for the borough as we collect scientific data on flooding in our community so we can better plan for future events”, said Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi.

The sensors, called “Hobos,” were placed at key locations and most are not visible because they were attached to the underside of storm water grates. Stockton researchers will download the collected data over the course of at least one year. 

Thanks to its storm resiliency improvements, flood insurance premiums for property owners are 25 percent lower through the federal government’s Community Rating System. Additional storm-ready improvements include the installation of pump stations to alleviate nuisance flooding, drainage and street surface improvements, and a hydrological study. 

“Coastal communities are obligated to consider resiliency options every day, all year long, and this partnership with the Atlantic Cape Coastal Coalition and Stockton University will result in useful data that will greatly assist Avalon in future flood mitigation efforts,” Pagliughi said.