Geodesign for multi-scalar consensus: Lessons from flood adaptation pathways planning.

Abstract

Geodesign is an iterative process for cycling through representation, evaluation, change, impact, and decision models to forge consensus typically across disciplinary more so than geographic boundaries. Multi-scalar integration of blue, green, and human infrastructure is necessary for adapting communities to large-scale extreme flooding scenarios timely and effectively. This project explored the feasibility of using multi-scalar geodesign to converge geographic perspectives from smaller-scale units of analysis (networks of water resources regions (WRRs)) into a higher-order consensus at the continental level to facilitate adaptation pathways planning for instantaneous flooding events, including flash flooding from dam breaks, tidal surges from polar reversal, and rapid sea level rise due to extreme solar events. Participants were initially organized based on their disciplines and geographical familiarity with a particular network of WRRs. Each team helped inventory priority intervention types and sites for blue, green, and human infrastructure components within its respective network of WRRs. Participants were then reorganized into continental teams with an equal number of representatives from each of the four network teams to integrate regional inventories of priority intervention sites and types into continental framework alternatives. Interrater reliability test indicated high reliability (ICC>0.9) in the response patterns of two independent raters (non-participants) that compared convergeability of each pair of alternatives into one: The pairs with the alternative generated without all representatives led to less converge-ability than those pairs containing alternatives generated with all representatives. The finding suggests the importance of integrated teaming in generating consensus-based, multi-scalar adaptation plans for disruptive flooding scenarios more rapidly.