Date for the 2018 Milam and Burleson Counties Groundwater Summit has been set for Aug. 15.
Hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Caldwell Civic Center. All are encouraged to attend, according to the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District, which hosts the annual event.
The summit is free and open to the public with lunch provided. Topics for this year’s summit cover a variety of issues.
There will be presentations about the new Groundwater Availability Models (GAMs) and how they are developed and used, an overview of
Among those on program Aug. 15 in Caldwell
hydraulic fracturing, an introduction to Post Oak Savannah’s new Rainwater Harvesting and other programs, and an update on the POSGCD well-monitoring system.
The POSGCD says citizens of Milam and Burleson Counties, as well as surrounding areas, can benefit from attending the Groundwater Summit.
Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District organizes the event and invites groundwater experts from across Texas to come speak at the local level.
Participants include:
• Dr. Charles Porter, an expert in Water Rights.
“The history of Texas water rights, as well as their legal and regulatory development over the past 300 years is not only fascinating but also critical for all Texans to understand,” he said.
Dr. Porter will discuss how Texans arrived here today in water rights, discuss current and pending issues in water policies, and offer his perspective on our future challenges.”
Dr. Porter’s accolades are numerous including 2016 Doctor of Philosophy, Economics and Business, Cum Laude, University Jaume I, Spain, 2015-16. Capstone Instructor of the Year, St. Edward’s University, 2014.
St. Edward’s. University 2012 C. K. Chamberlain Award, East Texas Historical Association, 2011 Outstanding Adjunct Professor , St. Edward’s University, 2009.
Realtor of the Year, Austin Board of Realtors, 2009, author, Spanish Water/Anglo Water, Texas A&M Press.
Winner of San Antonio Conservation Society Publication Award 2011; winner of Texas Old Missions and Forts Restoration Book Award 2011.
He is also the author of Sharing the Common Pool: Water Rights in the Everyday Lives of Texans, Texas A&M Press.
• Drew M. Gholson, Ph.D., is an Extension Program Specialist in the Soil and Crop Sciences Department for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, He will go over the free well water testing, rain water harvesting and other POSGCD/Texas AgriLife programs.
His primary areas of focus are developing educational and applied research programs involving water resource management.
These programs include groundwater and private water well protection, water conservation, water quality, and rainwater harvesting.
Outreach includes developing and delivering educational programs involving supporting source water protection for residents using water wells, residential water conservation, and being a member of the Texas A&M AgriLife’s rainwater harvesting task force efforts.
• Master of Ceremonies Sarah Rountree Schlessinger, is the Executive Director of Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts (TAGD).
Schlessinger also serves as an appointed member of the Water Conservation Advisory Council and an alternate member for the Texas Groundwater Protection Committee.
Gary Westbrook, General Manager of Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District, said: “Sarah is certainly no stranger to our citizens, having served as MC of this event the past three years. She also is steeped in understanding groundwater issues in this state, as she does an excellent job of leading TAGD through this period of evolving groundwater legislation.”
For any questions, contact the POSGCD office at 512-455-9900, or email at admin@posgcd.org.
“Please RSVP to your County Extension office by August 10th. Burleson County, 979-567-2308, Milam County, 254-697-7045,” Doug Box, POSGCD spokesman, said.
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