Engaging Communities in Stormwater Solutions: Lessons from Edmonston, MD

Abstract

Edmonston, Maryland is a small and diverse town situated in a floodplain alongside the Anacostia River. The town faces repeated flooding at homes and streets, damaging property and urban infrastructure, with major events in 2020 and 2022. To deal with this challenge, the town is part of projects such as the Green Street Project on Decatur Street, Sustainable Maryland, the Port Towns Walkable Watershed, and the Rain Check Rebate Program. Students in “Diversity and the City” (URSP 372), developed a community-based participatory research approach to better understand how residents experience flooding, what kinds of solutions they implemented at their homes, and what support they need to mitigate the events. The approach was developed in five phases: 1. developing survey questions; 2. technical site visit; 3. survey application with community members; 4. analysis; 5. reporting to the stakeholders. The students engaged with 22 residents and completed a survey and visual inspection of each property. This process considered qualitative and quantitative questions and residents’ stories to understand the community needs and flooding experience. Out of 22 residents, 10 (47.8%) classified the 2020 flood as the biggest flood event. When asked which part of the house flooded in 2020, 54.5% (12/22) had basement flooding and 40.9% of residents (9/22) said their yards flooded. Floods were caused mainly by pump failure (36.4%, 8/22) and weather-related conditions (31.8%, 7/22). Through surveying and collecting data, it became clear that while many residents express interest in flood mitigation interventions, only 22.7% (5/22) residents participate in stormwater programs and only 54.5% (12/22) had one or more flood mitigation interventions in their homes. Based on residents’ responses, this study recommends the town take four actions: creating a bilingual education campaign, conducting more engagement with residents exposed to flooding, using surveys and workshops to educate on flood mitigation strategies and programs, and developing a resources webpage. These recommendations can increase participation in flood mitigation efforts and promote climate justice, adaptation, and equity across the community.