蘑菇TV

Harnessing Technology to Study Hurricane Impacts

蘑菇TV students are using technology for several projects designed to help Southwest Florida community partners manage challenges in coastal areas, ranging from hurricane-related beach erosion to the impact of boat propellers on vulnerable aquatic habitats.

Guided by Dhruvkumar Bhatt, an instructor in The Water School, the students are gaining hands-on experience with geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing technology and airborne drones. Using these tools to collect location data, they are working on understanding coastal problems as a way to enhance decision making in fields such as coastal and aquatic habitat management.

Since Hurricane Ian hit Florida in September 2022, Bhatt and about a dozen students have been mapping local coastlines using high-resolution airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to gather data on beach erosion caused by storms.

鈥淢ajor storms like Hurricane Ian can have a significant impact on the coastline by moving beach sands in high amounts through storm surge and wind,鈥� Bhatt said. 鈥淯sing technological advancements such as LiDAR sensors on board a drone, we can measure erosion and deposition of sands on the beaches from drone flights conducted before and after a storm event.鈥�

The assessments help local governments develop budgets for beach renourishment and assess preparedness for future storms, he said.