Resilience-Based Adaptation in Data Scarce Areas: Flood Risk Assessment Using Geodesign in the Tohono O’odham Nation

Abstract

Geospatial data, analytics, and visualizations are critical decision-making resources for building community resilience. However, many communities are unable to collect and use this data. This study evaluates how a Geodesign planning approach using qualitative, statistical, and spatial analysis empowered a data-scarce American Indian community to create a flood-resilient community-based land-use plan. Geodesign is a stakeholder-engaged planning approach integrating geospatial analysis, information technology, visualization, and design strategies for complex problem-solving. Results show that Geodesign enables data-scarce communities to combine local knowledge and scientific modeling, merge the strengths of each knowledge source, and support resilience and community-based land-use planning.