Researchers Sarah Whitaker and John Ziker have published a study examining how U.S. military installations can improve their ability to withstand flooding.
Whitaker is a research scholar in the Department of Anthropology, while Ziker is a distinguished professor in the department. Their paper appeared in the journal Human Organization.
Research Findings
The study examined two U.S. Army installations and was based on 46 interviews, along with participant observation involving military and civilian infrastructure decision makers.
The paper identifies institutional factors that influence decisions about flood preparedness. It states that Department of Defense installations vulnerable to flooding can strengthen resilience by making flood risks a priority throughout the chain of command.
The researchers also identify collaboration with civilian infrastructure providers and installation-level flood early-warning systems as measures that can increase resilience.
Research Funding
The work received funding from the Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy and the Office of Naval Research. The research identifiers listed for the funding are N00014-23-1-2735 and N00014-25-1-2411.
About the Author
