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Charleston Enables Faster Response During Flash Flooding

By connecting Hohonu sensors to Microsoft Teams and Waze, Charleston empowers police, emergency managers, and public works staff to act faster during rain-driven floods.

Within just a couple of storms we saw that the sensor worked exactly as we needed. It gives us confidence to act quickly, and now it’s part of how we manage closures.​

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​Having automated alerts and links to the sensor’s feed sent directly to a MS Teams channel in real time changes everything. It’s simple for staff to use, and sets us up for efficient barricading and automated road closures.

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- Robert Hauck, GIS Director

The Story

Charleston deployed Hohonu sensors to help them manage short, intense rainstorms that overwhelm drainage and flood key intersections.

 

Previously, staff relied on manual checks because traditional tide and river gauges didn't properly capture these events. By streaming real-time flood data into Microsoft Teams and Waze, the City quickly validated closure thresholds and created a clear workflow for road safety. The result: faster decisions, fewer flooded vehicles, and stronger coordination across departments.

1 Sensor

Installed at a chronic flood-prone intersection

2 Weeks

Within installation, sensor data was validated during rain events

70+ Staff

Receiving real-time alerts via Microsoft Teams

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6 flooding peaks observed during a 36-hour rain event in August, 2025. During this period, 1.7+ feet of flooding was observed 2 separate times

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Traffic cams being used to validate and complement sensor readings 

Problem

  • Short, high-intensity rainstorms quickly overwhelm drainage, flooding intersections in minutes.

  • Nearly 20 vehicles flooded at the pilot site over two years, putting residents and responders at risk.

  • Tide and river gauges fail to capture these localized events, leaving staff without reliable data.

  • Police and Public Works relied on manual checks to decide closures, delaying response.

Stakeholders

  • Emergency Management & Police – depend on timely alerts to trigger road closures and keep residents safe.

  • Fire & Public Services – responsible for on-the-ground response and clean-up after flood events.

  • GIS & IT Teams – integrate real-time sensor data into city dashboards and communication tools like Teams and Waze.

  • Residents & Drivers – benefit from proactive closures that reduce vehicle damage and improve safety.

Outcomes

  • Validated sensor performance: Two back-to-back June rainstorms confirmed accuracy and reliability.

  • Faster decisions: Real-time Teams alerts gave 70+ city staff a single source of truth for closures.

  • Safer roads: Proactive alerts reduced flooded vehicles and improved responder safety.

  • Automated workflows: Waze integration set up to move from warnings to full closures seamlessly.

Solution

  • Deployed a Hohonu water-level sensor at a chronic flood-prone intersection.

  • Real-time data streamed directly into Microsoft Teams for staff alerts.

  • Waze integration built to escalate from warnings to full closures.

  • Expansion planned for additional sites, including the hospital district.

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