Hosted by the Texas Water Development Board

The Story of Texas Water January 23-25, 2019
Austin, Texas, AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center


#WaterForTX2019

Highlights

Thank you to all the attendees, speakers, sponsors, and special guests who made Water for Texas 2019 a successful event! The TWDB was proud to host all of you at this important gathering.

On this page you'll find photos and videos from the conference, including each of the general sessions.

From all of us at the TWDB, thanks again. We hope to see you at Water for Texas 2020!

Videos

Photos

  • TWDB Chairman Peter Lake welcomed attendees to the Water for Texas 2019 conference at the opening general session on Thursday, Jan. 24
  • Approximately 650 attendees gathered for the conference, held at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center
  • Dennis Bonnen, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, delivered opening keynote remarks
  • The TWDB Interactive Room showcased agency programs and technology, including Visual Texas, Virtual Sandbox, and more
  • TWDB Board Member Brooke Paup and attendees experimented with the Virtual Sandbox located in the TWDB Interactive Room
  • TWDB staff provided information about the agency in the Interactive Room
  • The "Deciphering Drought Through Technology and Tools" panel moderated by Sam Marie Hermitte, TWDB, featured panelists Chris Higgins, Brazos River Authority; John Honore, Texas Division of Emergency Management; and Mark Shafer, Ph.D., Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program
  • Angie Sanchez Virnoche, FCS Group; Jessica Garza, City of Alpine; Aubrey A. Spear, P.E., City of Lubbock; and Angie Flores, Raftelis, discussed water rates in a panel hosted by Jessica Zuba of the TWDB
  • TWDB Board Member Brooke Paup led the "Companies Investing in a Sustainable Water Future" panel with Mark Kuettel, Dow Chemical; Roian Atwood, Wrangler; Mark Yamauchi, Toyota Motor North America; and Katie Smith, Cargill
  • During lunch on Thursday, Jan. 24, Roy Spence of GSD&M and the Purpose Institute delivered motivational remarks about the power of purpose
  • Roy Spence shared stories and videos of past and future advertising and nonprofit campaigns
  • Dr. Mindy Conyers, TWDB, presented on the agency's first State Flood Assessment that was completed in 2018
  • TWDB Chairman Peter Lake moderated the "Technology and the Water Industry: Has the Future Arrived?" panel featuring Michael Murphy, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center; Will Tynan, Lotic Labs, Inc.; Juan Landivar-Bowles, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife, Research; and Walter "Buzz" Pishkur, City of Arlington
  • The "More with Less: Can Texas Grow and Thrive Using Less Water?" panel included Jennifer Walker of the National Wildlife Federation and panelists Ian MacLeod, Master Meter, Inc.; Karen Guz, San Antonio Water System; Jillian North, City of Fort Worth; and Keith Sides, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service
  • Attendees networked during breaks and visited the exhibitor booths
  • The George W. Bush Institute's William McKenzie discussed media coverage of water with Rich Oppel of Texas Monthly
  • During "How Do You Tell the Story of Texas Water?" Rich Oppel, Texas Monthly; Corrie MacLaggan, Texas Tribune; Stacy Chesney, Denver Water; and Asher Price, Austin American-Statesman, discussed challenges and solutions to securing media coverage and public interest in water issues
  • TWDB Chairman Peter Lake spoke with attendees during a networking break
  • Evan Smith of the Texas Tribune hosted Representative Tracy O. King and Senator Charles Perry for a discussion on water policy and the 86th Texas Legislative Session
  • TWDB Board Member Kathleen Jackson moderated the "Standing Tall in Our Rain Boots: Building a Resilient Texas" panel about flood resiliency that included Billy Hamilton, The Texas A&M University System; Joe Ripple, Brazoria County; Russ Poppe, P.E., Harris County Flood Control District; and Patrick Rios, City of Rockport
  • Attendees were encouraged to ask questions during general and breakout sessions
  • Attendees networked between sessions
  • George Hawkins, former CEO of DC Water, energized the crowd on Friday, Jan. 25, during the morning keynote. He shared stories about his time at DC Water and emphasized communication and building trust with communities.
  • Following his keynote remarks, George Hawkins led a breakout panel about the importance of communications and branding in the water industry. Panelists included Yvonne Forrest, City of Houston; Stephanie Zavala, Rogue Water; Janet Rummel, North Texas Municipal Water District; and Greg Wukasch, San Antonio Water System.
  • TWDB Executive Administrator Jeff Walker hosted "The Water Supply and Flood Mitigation Nexus: Can It Work?" session featuring John B. Hofmann, LCRA; Michael Reedy, Freese and Nichols, Inc.; Gretchen Miller, Ph.D., P.E., Texas A&M University; and Stephanie J. Moore, P.G., Daniel B. Stephens & Associates
  • James M. Griffin, Ph.D., George Bush School, Texas A&M; Brian Sledge, SledgeLaw Group, PLLC; Marvin "Marty" Jones, Sprouse Shrader Smith; and Sarah Rountree Schlessinger, Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts, debated aquifer-wide management of groundwater in a panel hosted by the TWDB's John Dupnik
  • TWDB Executive Administrator Jeff Walker with past Board Member Dr. Elaine Barron, Board Member Kathleen Jackson, past Board Member Othon Medina, and past Board Member Carlos Rubinstein
  • Attendees networked between sessions
  • Attendees networked between sessions
  • Dr. Robert Mace of the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment hosted "Are We Getting Mussel Fatigue? Invasive and Endangered Mussels in Texas" featuring Woody Frossard, Tarrant Regional Water District; John Higley, EQO; and Cindy Loeffler, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
  • Exhibitors hosted booths outside the ballroom
  • Richard Wade, TWDB, facilitated the "Flood Mapping and Modeling: Seeing Is Believing" session with Kharley Bagley Smith, Hays County Office of Emergency Services; Jerry Cotter, P.E., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and Michael Ouimet, Texas Division of Emergency Management
  • Andy Sansom with The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment gave a presentation on what a potential statewide water campaign could look like
  • Panelists Peter MacLaggan, P.E., Poseidon Water LLC; Jorge A. Arroyo, P.E., Freese & Nichols Inc.; Michael Irlbeck, EPCOR; and Craig Pedersen, Enviro Water Minerals Company, discussed brackish and seawater desalination in a session facilitated by Kevin Kluge of the TWDB
  • Christina Montoya-Halter, El Paso Water; Anthony Wilson, City of San Angelo; and Tommy O'Brien, P.E., City of Abilene, discussed communicating about reuse in a panel moderated by Tom Entsminger of the TWDB
  • TWDB Board Member Kathleen Jackson welcomed attendees to the closing general session and introduced the "Back to the Future: A History of Texas Water Policy" panel
  • Heather Harward of Heather Harward Consulting led a discussion between past Texas legislators Senator J. E. "Buster" Brown, Senator Kip Averitt, Representative Robert Puente, and Representative Allan Ritter about historic water policy in Texas