2018 Texas Water Symposium Will Explore Extreme Flooding In The Lone Star State

“Every building and flood control device that we construct affects everyone downstream,” said Dianne Wassenich, Executive Director of the San Marcos River Foundation.

The next recording of the Texas Water Symposium is planned for 7 PM on Thursday, November 15, with a conversation about how man-made infrastructure can influence flooding in Hill Country creeks and rivers.

The program, titled The future of flooding in Texas: How do we protect life and property in the face of extreme weather events? will be held at the Texas State University Teaching Theater within the LBJ Student Center in San Marcos, Texas. Texas Water Symposium radio broadcast recordings are free and open to the public.

The recent Llano and Colorado River flooding, Hurricane Harvey, the Blanco River flood of 2015 and other major flood events across the state have caused tragic loss of life and immense property damage.

“As communities rebuild, questions about how we ensure the safety of all Texans remain.”

Hydrologists and engineers are rethinking Texas’s traditional solutions to rising flood waters. Local governments are taking a hard look at infrastructure and methods for moving or elevating homes out of the floodplain. The Legislature has directed resources to studying the future impact and mitigation of flooding in Texas. 

Panelists will discuss the implications of population growth, extreme weather events and the built environment and will explore better alternatives for the region.

“Every building and flood control device that we construct affects everyone downstream,” said Dianne Wassenich, Executive Director of the San Marcos River Foundation. “In order to protect our downstream neighbors, we need to very carefully plan how we alter nature with our built environment.”

The discussion will be moderated by Robert Rivard, Editor and Publisher of The Rivard Report. Panelists for this Texas Water Symposium will include Dr. Mindy Conyers, Water Development Board; Stephen T. Graham, PE, CFM, San Antonio River Authority; Raymond Slade, United States Geological Survey; and Michael A. Moya, PE, CFM, Halff Associates.

The session will be recorded for broadcast on Texas Public Radio following the event.

Attendees will join Texas State University, the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, Texas Public Radio and the Hill Country Alliance for an exploration of extreme flooding in Texas.

The Symposium is a partnership project of Schreiner University, Texas Tech University, Texas Public Radio and the Hill Country Alliance.

For more information, visit the Texas Water Symposium, and listen to past shows online. To stay informed about future programs, subscribe at www.hillcountryalliance.org.