4th Thursday Seminar - Cascadia CoPes Hub

This project aims to create inclusive evacuation maps for the diverse residents of coastal communities. While state and local agencies have developed earthquake/ tsunami evacuation maps for the Oregon coast, there is a gap in creating multi-hazard maps that are clear and accessible to everyone. Traditional approaches have focused on technical expert designs, often overlooking how the public will use these maps in emergencies. Using iterative map design and the “wise practices” for inclusive hazard awareness, this project offers a unique opportunity to leverage existing internal draft maps – developed by community partners – to co-develop multi-hazard evacuation map prototypes for coastal community members that are simultaneously inclusive of a diversity of lived experiences and utilize cutting-edge cartographic principles for emergency maps in both print and digital formats.

Coastal Washington is expected to see half a foot of sea level rise in the next 30 years, increasing the frequency and magnitude of flood hazards and motivating efforts to understand current flood events. Yet, in situ observations of flood characteristics, such as extent and depth, are challenging to collect over regional scales. Limited high water marks and tide gage observations are often the only in situ observations available and prior satellite observations were hampered by interference from clouds. New satellite remote sensing products offer opportunities to observe synoptic scale flood characteristics with regular frequency, even during cloudy storm events. This pilot project is exploring the value and potential use of these new satellite-derived water surface extent products for flood observations and flood hazard science in the Pacific Northwest.

A new mural project in Newport, Oregon, led by artist Emy Daniels, will engage Latine youth to express their connection to their community and raise awareness of coastal hazards. The youth group will collaborate to create motifs, symbols, and imagery that reflect their thoughts and experiences, emphasizing their bond with the place they live. The mural will be produced using both traditional materials and digital techniques and the youth will create the art themselves. The group will choose a location significant to their community, with final approval sought from the city.