Living with Water: Documenting Lived Experience and Social-Emotional Impacts of Chronic Flooding for Local Adaptation Planning

• DOI: 10.15365/cate.2021.140104
• Publication Date: 2023-02-13T22:18:58Z
• Authors: Lindsay K Campbell; Helen Cheng; Erika Svendsen; Dana Kochnower; Katherine Bunting...; Phoebe Wapnitsky

Coastal communities are threatened by extreme weather events in the form of storm surge and frequent, chronic, or nuisance flooding. The physical damage these is vast established literature; however, social-emotional impacts less well-documented. This pilot study sought to understand tidal flooding on flood-prone Queens, NY. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews (n=9) with civic science participants, we document impacts, identify adaptations flooding, examine sources information about flooding--including local networks relationship government. We found that participants knowledgeable engaged processes, rhythms, Qualitative methods can be used surface experiences living therefore inform planning processes. work demonstrates need attune data collection better capture lived experience, ecological knowledge, engagement--as crucial building blocks for strengthening social resilience. Finally, rooting research a co-production approach, this provides starting point shared knowledge across different stakeholders collaborative adaptation planning. Ultimately, seek engage -- including rich, qualitative capturing experience into resilience