Translating Scientific Water Data for the Public
The ask: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sought to promote the National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) as a tool for state and local governments and increase use of survey data for new audiences including the public and non-governmental organizations.
The solution: To communicate the findings to a broader audience, MDB recommended a communications framework that identified key stakeholder audiences, strategies for positioning the National Aquatic Resource Surveys, and options for outreach products and public messages.
After facilitating discussion with the EPA program science and communications teams, MDB produced communications materials, including a new program fact sheet and a series of infographics, to inform key audiences. We also provided a stakeholder list and recommendations for future communications efforts .
Notable outcomes: The new NARS outreach products were used internally by EPA and shared with stakeholders. MDB’s work allowed scientific water quality data on the health of the nation’s lakes, rivers, and streams, coastal waters, and wetlands, to be easily assessed and show comparisons between regions and over time.
