‘The Sunny Day Flooding Project’ installing sensors to help Carolina Beach adapt to flooding issues

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — ‘Sunny Day Flooding’ has been a worsening problem for years in Carolina Beach, especially along Canal Drive.

One organization is setting out to track the flooding and help the area adapt to the problem.

Researchers with North Carolina State University and UNC Chapel Hill are partnering to place sensors in storm drains around the town.

They say the project has been in the works for nearly 2 years with sensors being placed in Carolina Beach in just the last month.

Project lead Katherine Anarde says they hope to collect data that towns can use as sea levels continue to rise.

“By tracking water levels in the drain, we can look at these different causes of floods and give that data to the town for their planning purposes. For developing resilient plans,” Anarde said.

So far sensors have only been installed in coastal towns within North Carolina. But researchers say they have plans to eventually expand nationwide.