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Discover how storm surge during hurricanes poses a hidden threat to water quality and how Streamline Technologies' real-time flood forecasting system empowers communities to anticipate, mitigate, and recover from these escalating risks.
When hurricanes make landfall, destructive winds and the sudden, abnormal rise in water from storm surge often dominate headlines. However, beyond the immediate threat of flooding in coastal communities, storm surge also creates long-term risks to water quality, carrying pollutants into freshwater systems, contaminating drinking water sources, and disturbing natural ecosystems.
With the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane season now underway, and with hurricanes growing in both frequency and intensity, the risks to water quality from storm surge events are escalating. Understanding these risks and investing in proactive solutions, such as Streamline Technologies’ FloodWise™ real-time flood forecasting system, is more critical than ever, empowering communities to better anticipate, prepare for, and recover from the impacts of flood events with greater accuracy and confidence.
The Hidden Risk to Water Quality
Storm surge is far more than a simple flood event. As seawater pushes inland, it interacts with infrastructure, industrial sites, agriculture, and natural ecosystems, creating a perfect storm of contamination risks. Water treatment plants and sewage systems are especially vulnerable; even brief power outages or structural damage can cause untreated sewage to spill into public water supplies. Private wells, often unprotected from rising groundwater, can become quickly contaminated with bacteria, viruses, and other harmful substances.
Agricultural runoff compounds these issues, washing fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste into rivers and lakes. Storm surge can also erode and disturb sediments that have long stored heavy metals and other pollutants, releasing them back into circulation. Additionally, the intrusion of saltwater into freshwater aquifers not only depletes potable water sources but can also degrade agricultural soils and disrupt ecosystems adapted to specific salinity levels.
The aftermath of hurricanes like Hurricane Harvey (2017) and Hurricane Ian (2022) underscores the severity of these challenges. Both events overwhelmed wastewater systems, caused widespread contamination, and left long-term water quality issues that persisted long after the floodwaters receded. According to the Tampa Bay Times, in the case of Hurricane Ian, plumes of runoff were so extensive that they were visible from space, highlighting the scale of the crisis.
Ecosystem Disruption and Public Health Risks
The degradation of water quality caused by storm surge is not limited to drinking water supplies alone. Coastal ecosystems, critical buffers that protect against storm damage, suffer as nutrient overloads trigger harmful algal blooms, deplete oxygen levels, and threaten aquatic life. Changes in sediment deposition can damage benthic habitats, while altered salinity levels can stress or even kill fish and other species unable to adapt.
For local communities, the contamination of water systems by sewage, industrial chemicals, and pathogens poses immediate public health risks. Waterborne diseases such as E. coli, Vibrio vulnificus, and Salmonella often spike following major hurricanes. Agricultural pollutants, including nitrates, are linked to severe health outcomes ranging from gastrointestinal illnesses to long-term developmental issues. The complexity of these threats demands advanced preparation and real-time situational awareness.
The Rising Severity of Storm Events
Although the overall frequency of hurricanes making landfall in the United States is predicted to remain only slightly above average in 2025, the intensity of these storms is increasing. Warmer sea-surface temperatures, driven by shifting climate patterns, have contributed to hurricanes that develop faster, carry stronger winds, and generate record-breaking storm surge and rainfall totals. Flooding, often the deadliest component of a storm, has become a primary driver of water quality crises during and after major storm events.
Historical data also paints a stark picture – According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for example, more than 1,200 drinking water systems and 200 wastewater treatment facilities were compromised after Hurricane Katrina (2005), while Hurricane Sandy (2012) affected over 690 water utilities across 11 states. These events underscore the need for forward-thinking, technology-driven approaches to flood resilience.
Innovation in Real-Time Flood Forecasting
Streamline Technologies’ FloodWise™ system represents a truly ground-breaking and innovative solution to the challenges posed by storm surge and flood events. By combining advanced hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) modeling with real-time data integration, FloodWise™ delivers advanced insights that help communities act before disaster strikes. The system’s high-resolution forecasting capabilities enable emergency managers, water utilities, and municipal leaders to identify at-risk infrastructure, mobilize resources, and minimize water quality degradation.
Unlike traditional forecasting models that often treat river flooding, rainfall, and coastal surge as isolated events, FloodWise™ also captures the complexity of compound flooding, where these forces interact. This holistic approach is particularly vital in coastal agricultural regions, where cross-contamination risks from livestock waste, fertilizers, and industrial runoff are heightened during storm surge.
FloodWise™ also supports post-event recovery by providing actionable data, and its user-friendly interface and real-time alerts are designed to empower decision-makers with the clarity they need to protect both public health and the environment.
Building Resilient Communities
As hurricanes become more destructive, the need for advanced flood forecasting solutions is no longer optional…. It’s essential. The combination of rising storm intensity, aging infrastructure, and sensitive coastal ecosystems means that communities must invest in technologies that go beyond simple prediction and actively support mitigation and recovery efforts.
Streamline Technologies is leading the charge by equipping municipalities and utilities with FloodWise™, a purpose-built system for the evolving challenges of shifting climate patterns and flood events. By leveraging real-time intelligence and predictive analytics, FloodWise™ enables communities to safeguard their water resources, protect their residents, and recover from extreme weather events like never before.
Looking Ahead
Storm surge is more than just a coastal flooding event; it’s a cascading crisis that affects every aspect of water quality, from drinking water contamination to ecological health. As these challenges grow more complex, proactive measures are the key to resilience. Through FloodWise™, Streamline Technologies offers a solution that combines cutting-edge modeling, real-time data, and actionable insights to protect communities against the devastating impacts of hurricanes and flood events.
The future of coastal resilience depends on our ability to forecast and prepare. FloodWise™ is ensuring that communities have the tools they need to meet that future with confidence.
Read our recent blog: “The Hidden Threat of Hurricane Season: Understanding Storm Surge and the Role of FloodWise in Coastal Resilience,” for more information on the dangers of storm surge – And Contact Our Team today to learn more about how our innovative solutions can significantly reduce the devastating impacts of extreme flood events on water resources!
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