Visualizing Water Sustainability in the Clarkdale Community

The Town of Clarkdale, a historic mining community in the Verde Valley in central Arizona, is dedicated to providing and ensuring a sustainable water supply for its residents now and into the future. As water is an increasingly complex topic in the region and state, the Town is interested in improving communication efforts around the current state of the local water system. Improved communications will help to educate residents on the water supply as well as local and regional decision-making around the future of water resources. To advance these efforts, the Town of Clarkdale collaborated with graduate Technical Communication students to explore new opportunities to visually communicate critical elements of the Town’s water system, including: 1) geology and health of the aquifer, 2) physical health of the system and its operations, and 3) conservation efforts, including strategies for reducing water consumption. Students will develop and create Water Visualization Portfolios of these critical elements by using key communication mediums, including a flyer “report card”, infographics, and videos and social media, depending on alignment with content.