ISeeChange is teaming up with the North Carolina Coastal Federation and Green Stream to build a network of flood watchers in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Between sunny-day flooding, hurricanes, and beach erosion, coastal North Carolinians have first-hand knowledge of the flooding challenges the region is facing.

ISeeChange, Green Stream Technologies and Coastal Review Online, an online daily news service published by the North Carolina Coastal Federation, are teaming up to empower residents in coastal North Carolina, to turn their expertise into data, and use data to strengthen their communities.

Thanks to a grant from the North Carolina Local News Fund, the three partners are channeling the natural power of residents in Wilmington, N.C. to report flooding, and flag areas of most concern to monitor.

High tide goes up to the stairs over the dunes and under some of the houses on the beach. Jelly fish are washed up every 10 feet or so.

— Samantha Harrington

How does it work?

Residents of coastal North Carolina can download the ISeeChange app or login to the website and report flooding as it occurs on the app, and verify flood data with pictures of their own. These personal stories will be synced with five existing Green Stream sensors monitoring flooding in Sampson, Duplin and Onslow counties.

ISeeChange and Green Stream will award five additional sensors to inform neighborhoods and communities in New Hanover County that need it the most, based on frequency and severity of reported flooding.

About the program

“By monitoring and reporting flooding in their communities, we’re empowering residents to build an on-the-ground truth for authorities about the flooding that occurs in their region,” said Todd Miller, executive director of the North Carolina Coastal Federation. “That means adding data to the dialogue and spreading the word about flood hazards affecting the region.”

“We see this as an opportunity to enhance Coastal Review Online’s coverage of the increased flooding and other related problems happening along the North Carolina coast and better engage our readers,” said Mark Hibbs, editor, Coastal Review Online.

Green Stream data is already being used to inform flood monitoring efforts of the North Carolina Emergency Management department and the data is already available to residents via the state’s on-line service Fiman.

“Residents are experts in their own backyards” said Drapkin, CEO of ISeeChange, a social weather and climate platform with community members in 118 countries. “They can add details and context that sensors, flood models, and satellites alone can’t. But together those added details matter in more ways than one to improve our neighborhoods and plan for the future.”

“We see the Internet of Things sensors and related technologies as a way to collect more detailed data about flooding at an affordable cost. Data is even better when it’s verified by people on the scene,” said Jim Gray, CEO of Green Stream.

We are looking for individuals, local businesses and organizations to become flood reporters this season. To sign up, first download the ISeeChange Tracker mobile app (on iOS and Android) or visit www.iseechange.org. Create an account, watch stream levels in your community, and post a photo or flood observation. Please be safe. Never enter flood water under any circumstances, and do not put yourself in danger for a photo.

ISeeChange mobilizes community stories and micro-data about climate impacts to inform and improve climate adaptation and infrastructure design. ISeeChange, a social impact company headquartered in New Orleans, won the AI for the Betterment for Humanity Prize at MIT Solve this May. Contact community@iseechange.org.

Green Stream is an environmental IoT firm that makes it easy and accessible to monitor and report conditions in the environment. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Green Stream is a proud provider of sensor technology to the North Carolina Emergency Management Department. Green Stream advises when the water rises. www.greenstream.com

The North Carolina Coastal Federation is a member-supported 501(c)3 that is focused on protecting and restoring the North Carolina coast and publisher of Coastal Review Online, an online daily news service covering North Carolina’s coastal issues at www.coastalreview.org.

For inquires, please contact Julia Kumari Drapkin at Julia@ISeeChange.org or 917-420-3583.

Photo by Dave Saville via FEMA and Wikimedia.