SECOORA Community Spotlight: Craig Harris

Nestled on the southeastern coast of North Carolina, the city of Wilmington is no stranger to flood events. When Craig Harris signed on as the city’s Emergency Management and Resiliency Coordinator, he brought with him knowledge of flood gauges, also called water level sensors. Craig had seen the effectiveness of water level sensors in other communities of North Carolina and took the initiative to bring them to his city. 

Craig found out about SECOORA through the University of North Carolina Wilmington, a long-time member of SECOORA. Once connections were established, SECOORA worked with Craig to install a water level sensor at the Love Grove Bridge in Wilmington. This bridge is on Smith Creek, a tributary of the Cape Fear River which runs through downtown Wilmington. 

“Love Grove Bridge is within an underserved, flood-prone area of town. The sensor location provides advanced warning of rising waters to the surrounding community and emergency responders,” explains Craig. 

Luckily, Wilmington has been spared from major flooding since the sensor installation in 2024. Craig notes that his team will work to educate the community about the sensor’s location and how to access data to prepare them for future flood events that are certain to occur. People living and working in the area can sign up to receive alerts for when this sensor is recording high water levels. 

“For me, it feels like there is a personal connection to SECOORA. I can pick up the phone and call someone because I know they are here for me and the city. They go the extra mile to help us make connections,” says Craig.

SECOORA works with communities to install water level sensors where they are needed the most. If you are interested in connecting with us, email communications@secoora.org for more information.