Hydro-Ethnographic Applied Research

Water’s cultural significance shapes norms, practices, and beliefs, influencing how communities manage, use, and sustain it through traditional knowledge, customs, and stewardship. Yet in academia, integrating fields such as cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, and geography into hydrologic research remains a challenge. Innovative approaches are needed to foster meaningful researcher–community engagement and align research with the cultural values of water. This article introduces the term hydro-cultural values and presents the hydro-ethnographic applied research (HEAR) approach, developed from two community hydrology projects on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi. HEAR synthesizes community-based participatory research (CBPR) and ethnography, employing semiethnographic methods to embed Indigenous hydrocultural values into applied hydrologic research, supporting the stewardship of culturally significant water resources. By shifting from ethnography that merely documents culture to an approach that applies ethnographic data to guide hydrologic research, HEAR promotes equitable applied research outcomes and advances a more inclusive model for researcher–community relationships. This approach offers a pathway for hydrologic research to align with the expressed interests of Indigenous communities, ensuring that research not only respects but also integrates the cultural significance of water.