Blue Index is an innovative project that is changing the way we think about water, public space design, emotional health, and participatory mechanisms.
The first project in Austin, Texas yielded over 1,800 responses during an 18-month period. Blue Index is becoming recognized as a new tool for managers throughout the country to better engage with the public around urban waterscapes and for local communities to have a voice on the waters that matter to them.
What We Do
Blue Index expands public participation in the protection and management of local waterways, tracks changes to waterscapes over time, and encourages municipalities to center water management on emotional health and equitable access. This paves the way for greater communication between decision-makers and the public and reframes urban waterscape design, leading to healthier waterways and more resilient communities.
Why It Matters
The global pandemic and ongoing struggle for racial justice together have created a need for people to get outside and engage with each other in safe, meaningful, and equitable ways. Many are seeking information on how environmental conditions impact health and how these impacts are experienced disproportionately across individuals and communities. There is a desire for lasting change and connection to others.
Blue Index allows participants to reconnect while also contributing to the resilience of their environment and community. It draws on the interaction between community health and social justice, at a time when the public is actively removing confederate monuments and redefining how public space looks and functions. Blue Index offers an opportunity to harness this energy and direct it towards creating spaces for healing, while also building a bridge between decision-makers and the public.
How It Works
Photo Stations
Simple stands allow the public to engage with waterscapes as they pass by. Each station contains a place to put a smart device, such that photos are taken from the same angle, and a sign with instructions.
Online Assessment
Participants are asked to gauge their experience with each waterscape where a station is located through questions on their device. Together, the questions create a tool to measure the ability for waterways to lower the anxiety of participants.
Data Collection
Participation is promoted through outreach events with partners, stations are maintained and repaired as needed, and data is collected remotely and automatically as photos and assessments are submitted.
Results Analysis
Results are analyzed and a final report is assembled that includes recommendations for waterscape design and public engagement that takes into account emotional health and community wellbeing.
Bring Blue Index to Your Community
Blue Index can capture the pulse of a city, measure the health of a watershed, and get people connected to the waterways around them. It is an easily customized tool for decision-makers to tap into the enormous and underutilized potential of the public, raising the value of water for participants and affecting positive behavior change.
For municipalities, Blue Index is a creative, efficient, and effective way to gather non-contact recreation data and to engage the public. The project fosters a connection between residents and management, providing valuable feedback to the municipality on how its waterscapes are perceived and offers recommendations on how to improve water policies and practices.
Blue Index is growing. Schedule a consultation to learn more and bring Blue Index to your community.