Rectifying a flood data desert one step at a time: a co-created, engaged scholarship approach

ABSTRACT

Attention to public problems is increasingly being driven by data. Given that data is used as a communication tool, a lack of data may further exacerbate existing inequities when allocating public resources, especially around infrastructure. Using a co-creation and power-sharing approach to community involvement, this field report describes how a rural community and academic partners worked together to collect photo and video data to create a community-driven flood map that communicates flood issues. The results indicate community members felt like they belong, are valued, and their flooding challenges are visible. These are all important steps to achieving attention and support to address their flooding infrastructure challenges. We end by offering six concrete suggestions, ranging from centering community needs to interdisciplinary collaboration, for how this approach can be used in other applied communication projects.

KEYWORDS:

• Co-creation
• flooding
• data gaps
• engaged scholarship
• environmental communication

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Judge Joanna MacKenzie, Commissioner Sergio Quijas, Oralia Sariñana, and their team in Hudspeth County for their commitment and collaboration in this project. We also thank four community members, the data collectors, who went door-to-door to collect the photos and videos that allowed the development of a community flood map.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This project, Digital Risk Infrastructure Program (DRIP), was funded by an appropriation from the Texas State Legislature.