What is HydroNet?
HydroNet is a distributed water level sensor network operated by the University of Maryland. It collects high-frequency data on water levels to support forecasting, climate research, and community resilience throughout Maryland. This data helps scientists, emergency managers, and residents better understand and respond to flooding, sea level rise, and changing water conditions.
What is a HydroNet sensor and how does it work?
Each HydroNet station includes a compact sensor suite that monitors water level in real time. These are typically ultrasonic or radar-based sensors mounted securely above the water, pointing downward to measure the distance to the surface with sub-inch accuracy. The equipment is built into a sturdy PVC pipe with a small computer for logging data, a solar panel for power, and a 4G connection to send information in real time. They’re built to run continuously with minimal maintenance.
Where are the sensors being deployed geographically? How do you choose the location?
HydroNet stations are deployed across Maryland’s coastal, tidal, and low-lying inland areas. Locations are chosen based on community need, scientific value, and partnerships with local property owners, schools, or agencies. Many are placed in areas vulnerable to nuisance flooding, storm surge, or sea level rise.
How long is a sensor deployed for?
Sensors are designed for long-term monitoring. Most remain in place indefinitely, as long as they remain scientifically useful and well-maintained.
Who makes the sensors and where are they manufactured?
HydroNet sensors are sourced from trusted U.S.-based manufacturers, including NOAA partners and private sensor companies. All data flows through University of Maryland servers. No foreign data handlers are involved; this is a Maryland-run system through and through.
Who is responsible for their maintenance and upkeep?
The HydroNet team at the University of Maryland handles all deployment, calibration, data ingestion, and maintenance. We conduct periodic inspections and respond quickly to any technical issues. Community partners may also help by reporting problems at specific sites.
Whose property do they live on, and how do you protect property owners’ privacy?
Some sensors are hosted on public land, while others are installed with permission on private property. We work closely with all hosts and ensure strict privacy safeguards, including GPS obfuscation and public-facing data limits, to protect individuals and their land.
What are HydroNet’s goals?
We aim to make the data open, reliable, and useful to everyone, from researchers and state planners to curious residents. Long-term, HydroNet will help inform resilience planning, habitat protection, and climate adaptation strategies, as well as provide early warning flood detection.
How many stations do you currently operate and do you have plans to expand?
We currently have 12 sensors in operation and are adding more as resources allow. Our network spans rivers, tributaries, and inland areas, with each sensor placed in locations impacted by flooding. The network will continue to grow as needed to help communities stay informed and better prepared for high-water events.
Do you have plans to measure other water-related parameters?
In addition to water levels, we plan to measure temperature, salinity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and other key environmental variables. These measurements will allow us to better understand water quality, ecosystem health, and changing conditions.
What are the timelines for these goals?
Our goal is to expand the network as quickly as possible, but it takes time to build partnerships and complete site surveys. In the long run, we aim to collect data over many years and potentially decades to better understand flooding and water quality.
Why is HydroNet important and why is water level so important?
HydroNet helps Maryland communities better understand and respond to flooding, sea level rise, and extreme weather. Even small changes in water level can affect stormwater systems, roads, agriculture, and ecosystems. With more frequent tidal flooding and changing climate conditions, real-time water level data is critical for emergency managers, researchers, and residents alike.
HydroNet fills in the gaps left by larger national systems by providing high-resolution, local data, updated every minute, that supports better forecasting, smarter infrastructure planning, and increased public awareness. It’s a tool for resilience, built to protect Maryland’s people, property, and environment.
Who benefits from HydroNet?
The network supports a wide range of people and places. Local governments can use the data to plan smarter, more resilient infrastructure. Emergency managers gain real-time flooding alerts that improve preparedness and response. Researchers and students access valuable information for science and learning. Residents receive better forecasts and warnings to keep them safe.
How do I, the average Marylander, benefit from HydroNet?
HydroNet benefits the average Marylander by providing real-time data that helps communities better prepare for and respond to flooding. If you live near the coast, along tidal rivers, or in areas prone to heavy rain, HydroNet’s water level sensors offer early insights into rising water, allowing emergency managers to issue warnings and take action sooner. This data also helps improve flood maps, guide smarter infrastructure design, and inform policies that protect homes, roads, and public spaces.
Even if you don’t interact with the data directly, it supports the people who do—scientists, planners, and first responders—so they can make better decisions that keep your neighborhood safer and more resilient.
Who is the HydroNet team and what are your values?
We’re a team of students, researchers, and scientists at the University of Maryland. Our values center on open science, climate resilience, and empowering communities with better data. We believe that data should be open, accessible, and used to serve the public good.
HydroNet was created to address a growing need for local, high-frequency water level monitoring in Maryland, a state especially vulnerable to sea level rise, flooding, and changing climate conditions. We’re doing this because we care about the future of our communities, our coastlines, and the ecosystems that make Maryland unique.
Who is funding/sponsoring you? Is this being paid for by my tax money?
The project is funded by the University of Maryland’s Grand Challenges Program and by MARACOOS (the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System), which funds us for five years through NOAA. The motivation is to protect communities, improve flood preparedness, and provide long-term environmental monitoring that benefits everyone.
What organizations make up the HydroNet team? Do you have any partners?
The HydroNet team is part of the Climate Resilience Network at the University of Maryland. Within this network, several UMD groups are involved, including the Departments of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science (AOSC), Geology (GEOL), Geography (GEOG), and the Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Sciences program (MEES), along with ESSIC (Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center).
I want a HydroNet station at my local marina. How do I get one installed?
We place sensors in areas that need them most, especially where there are gaps in existing monitoring networks. If you think your community could benefit, please reach out to us! We are happy to discuss whether adding a sensor is possible.
