Contributing to Watermark

Help build the record.

Watermark is built in the open, by people who want the record to exist. Three ways in: keep it funded, keep it running, or bring what you know.

View the repo → Submit a lead →

Code

The platform is open source.

Every line of Watermark — the record parser, the evidence viewer, the source-linking engine — is public and improvable. Bugs, gaps, and open feature work are tracked in the repo. No contributor agreement required for small fixes.

watermark-directory/the-watermark-directory

Public · MIT license

View repo ↗

Issue labels · good places to start

bug enhancement good first issue documentation data-pipeline

Fork and clone the repo.

The main branch is always deployable. Development happens in feature branches off dev.

Pick an open issue.

Comment to claim it. Issues marked good first issue are self-contained and scoped, with no dependencies on the broader record layer.

Open a pull request.

Reference the issue number. The review team responds within a week; larger changes get scoped before you write code.

Read CONTRIBUTING.md first.

Coding conventions, test-coverage expectations, and the evidence-grammar rules that govern anything touching the record layer. Open CONTRIBUTING.md ↗

Research

Know something we don't?

The record grows from people closer to the ground. Leads come in as tips, document finds, or first-hand knowledge. We treat every submission as a lead, not a verdict — it goes into the open case file, labeled as such, until corroborated.

Submit a tip open

Something you noticed, heard, or saw near a site. A truck count, a utility pull, a conversation. No documentation required to start.

Submit →

Share a document verified

A permit, deed, filing, or record you found through a request or a public counter. Upload it directly — we'll process, cite, and publish it with full provenance.

Upload →

Request a correction scope gap

Something in the record that's wrong, outdated, or missing a source. Point us to the discrepancy — corrections are published with a provenance note.

Flag →

How we handle submissions

Every submission enters the open case file, labeled as a lead until a second source corroborates it. Sources are never named without consent. Submissions may be published in whole or in part, with provenance noted. We do not share contact information.