From Field to Photo to Living Narrative: How Observations Become Narrative
Shannon Jacob, EI, CFM
Hazen and Sawyer
Greenville, SC
Danny Ketzer, PE
Hazen and Sawyer
Columbus, OH
Site visits and field data are critical for understanding rivers and river restoration, yet most project stakeholders cannot participate directly in site walks or data collection. As a result, teams often rely on a limited set of photos, field notes, and design deliverables, which can present a curated view of site conditions and increase the risk of missed constraints or design opportunities.
This presentation introduces the use of a living project map as an alternative to static imagery. The approach integrates historical and current aerial imagery, 360‑degree and still photography, and existing and proposed GIS datasets into a dynamic, geospatial interface. As projects evolve, the map can be continuously updated with new geolocated photos and revised datasets, allowing stakeholders to move seamlessly from existing conditions and known issues through field verification and proposed designs.
We demonstrate how living project maps support more effective stakeholder engagement, improve fieldwork planning and data processing, facilitate ground‑truthing of design decisions, and enhance design QA/QC. The presentation also outlines key data processing and field planning considerations needed to ensure that collected information can be efficiently incorporated, creating a shared and evolving understanding of river systems throughout the project lifecycle.
About Shannon Jacob, EI, CFM
Shannon Jacob is an engineer at Hazen and Sawyer specializing in stream restoration, urban stormwater systems, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, and stormwater master planning. She has seven years of experience addressing flooding, infrastructure capacity and risk, stream stability, and mitigation needs in urban and suburban watersheds across the Southeast, including NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, TX, VA, MD, and Washington, DC.
Her work focuses on projects involving complex interactions between streams, culverts, and buried infrastructure, including sanitary sewer systems. Shannon works closely with contractors and multidisciplinary project teams to adapt designs to field conditions and ensure hydraulic and geomorphic design intent is achieved, delivering resilient and implementable solutions in urban stream environments.
About Danny Ketzer, PE
Danny Ketzer is a Professional Engineer at Hazen and Sawyer with more than 21 years of experience in river and wetland restoration, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, and stormwater management. His project experience spans the Midwest, New England, Mid-Atlantic, and West Coast areas.
Danny approaches water resources challenges from a watershed-scale perspective, emphasizing the innovative use of technology and sustainable design practices. A strong proponent of passive restoration, he focuses on creating resilient systems that allow ecological processes to self-adjust and recover naturally. His work integrates engineering rigor with ecological principles to deliver long-term, adaptive solutions.
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