Kent Butler Summit Examines The Future Of Water In The Hill Country

Dr. Kent Butler has been described as a visionary and “the best friend the Barton Springs Aquifer ever had.”

The population of the I-35 corridor has nearly doubled in the last 25 years and is projected to do the same in the next 25.  Kent Butler Summit brings together scientists and policy-makers to share information and address the challenges and innovations in the management of our regional water supplies.

The summit is organized around these topics: Pipes, People, Pavement, and the Future of water management in the Hill Country.  Join them as they will explore the new infrastructure strategies that will be required to accommodate their burgeoning population. 

The full agenda can be viewed at here and features keynote presentations by Sharlene Leurig, Chair, Austin Water Forward Task Force and Project Director, Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, and George Hawkins, Former CEO and General Manager, DC Water.

Dr. Kent Butler has been described as a visionary and “the best friend the Barton Springs Aquifer ever had.”  He was instrumental in establishing the BSEACD in 1987, as well as the City of Austin’s Water and Wastewater Commission.  Kent died in a tragic accident while hiking in Yosemite National Park on May 13, 2011.  This summit is dedicated to his memory.

The event is a collaboration of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District, Hill Country Alliance, University of Texas at Austin, and the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment; and is sponsored by Wimberley Valley Watershed Association, Gap Strategies, AECOM Engineering, Doucet Engineering, Tetra Tech Engineering, and the UT School of Architecture.

Keynote Presentations will be given by Sharlene Leurig, Chair, Austin Water Forward Task Force and Project Director, Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, and George Hawkins, Former CEO and General Manager, DC Water.

Panels and Presentations feature State Representative Donna Howard, City of Austin Mayor Steve Adler, San Antonio Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales, CAMPO Chair Will Conley, and many more.

The summit begins at 9:00 AM on Wednesday, April 4, and will end at 4:00 PM. Texas State University will host the event in the LBJ Student Center Ballroom in San Marcos.