projects

flooding futures

rschool: harvard graduate school of design
timing: fall 2025
location: clatsop county, oregon
type: speculative

category: case study, participatory practice, design
professors: amy whitesides, bob zimmerman

overview

Clatsop County sits at the northwestern tip of Oregon, where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. Originally Chinook land (Native-Land, 2025), later built on fishing, logging, and canning. The focus area: Jeffers Garden and Miles Crossing, an unincorporated community on Youngs Bay. 67 residents. Sitting in a flood zone.

challenge

Compounding climate risks across the board: flooding, coastal erosion, landslides, windstorms, sea-level rise, earthquakes. Wastewater infrastructure is 50 to 120 years old (Harrington et al., 2025).

The city carries $18M in CSO debt, manages reactively, and has no Stormwater Master Plan (Harrington et al., 2025). Youngs Bay lost 86% of its tidal marshes and 95% of its tidal swamps between 1870 and 1983 (Thomas, 1983). Small community, no margin for error.

thesis

Three nature-based interventions paired with a four-phase community engagement and relocation strategy. Core principle: restore the nature of nature (Zimmerman, 2025).

interventions

(01) tidal wetland restoration obstacles addressed: flooding, erosion, biodiversity loss, landslide risk
(02) artificial reefs obstacles addressed: wave attenuation, erosion, biodiversity, economics
(03) CWERCs obstacles addressed: financial crisis, infrastructure quality, waste-to-resource, regulatory compliance

community engagement + education

phases overview

including interventions utilized, after will include four phases:

(01) pre-flooding precautions and planning
(02) framing the flooding, providing tools and frameworks for decision-making
(03) transition support; buyouts, relocation assistance, community connections
(04) environmental stewardship, land conservation, restoration work, and
fisheries program

phase one: pre-flooding precautions

the water is coming. we can work with it and prep together.

Direct outreach to the 67 flood-zone residents through post-apocalyptic postcards, posters, and storefront window activations that overlay flood depth onto everyday spaces.

A feature in The Astorian drives attendance to the first community meeting in March 2026.

Two meetings per month for the first four months, then monthly.
Format: shared presentation, Q&A, hands-on workshop with a large flood zone map where residents mark their homes (Cox & Pezzulo, 2017).

phase two: framing the flooding

we know flooding is coming. here’s how to be ready and stay safe.

Tools for residents to document, prepare, and plan before disaster hits.
Keepsake lockboxes at local banks for photos and sentimental items.
Room-by-room 3D home scanning for insurance documentation and emotional archiving.
Emergency prep kits with waterproof evac maps and info magnets. Alexa and Google Home weather alerts paired with in-home water sensors.
A Kapok floating booklet that converts into a personal flotation device when wet.

phase three: transition support

the storm doesn’t define us.

Voluntary flood buyout program modeled on King County, WA: market-value appraisals, waitlist structure, no forced exits.

Proposed relocation site: Diking District #15, 1.7 miles south of Jeffers Garden (Clatsop County Records, 2019).

Moving existing structures reduces embodied carbon versus new construction. Vacated land converts to tidal wetland, working forest, trails, and parks under conservation easement (Pacific Forest Trust, n.d.).

A Zillow Chrome extension surfaces natural disaster risk scores for prospective buyers, the Carfax of homes. For residents who stay: sandbag station, consultations, priority flood communications.

phase four: environmental stewardship

this is our place, and we handle it with care.

The wetland and forest care team creates local jobs. A fisheries enhancement program supports native oysters and marine biodiversity alongside maritime businesses (Law et al., 2017).

School curriculum partnerships across the Warrenton and Astoria districts, plus a week-long summer camp: Soils, Seasons, and Ecology.

Mini exhibit at the Columbia River Maritime Museum on tidal wetland loss (CREST, 2016).

Annual Oystering Festival and Salmon Run to hold community identity through the transition.