Lessons learned from public participation in hydrologic engineering projects |
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| Authors: | J R Etheridge A K Manda C Grace-McCaskey T Allen H Hao |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Engineering, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA;2. Center for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USAetheridgej15@ecu.edu https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7555-7079;4. Department of Geological Sciences, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA;5. Department of Anthropology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA;6. Coastal Studies Institute, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA;7. Department of Political Science &8. Geography, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USAhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4462-7182;9. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA |
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| Abstract: | ABSTRACTPublic participation in engineering projects has been minimal to date, whereas it is growing in other fields. This paper assesses the lessons learned from public participation in two hydrologic engineering projects, as citizen scientists or through participatory mapping. The two projects were conducted in communities that faced a common problem of flooding due to sea-level rise. The lessons learned include the need to invest time at the beginning of a project to get an idea of what knowledge the public can contribute and have a plan in place to sustain participation at the level needed for the project to be successful. Our cost comparison shows that public participation should be encouraged when the project area is large enough to make travel for data collection cost prohibitive, or when extensive interaction with the public will already be required. |
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| Keywords: | public participation engineering hydrology citizen science sea-level rise |
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![ORCID Icon]({"type":"image","src":"/templates/jsp/images/orcid.png"} "ORCID Icon")
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7555-7079;4. Department of Geological Sciences, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA;5. Department of Anthropology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA;6. Coastal Studies Institute, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA;7. Department of Political Science &8. Geography, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA