University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources

March 31, 2006

Third Annual Water Law, Policy and Science Conference to be at Nebraska City

Management strategies for increasingly besieged Great Plains water resources are the subject of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's third annual water law, policy and science conference.

The conference, whose theme is "Adaptive Management for Resilient Water Resources," is May 4-5 at Nebraska City's Lied Lodge and Conference Center.

Lance Gunderson of Emory University, Atlanta, Ga., kicks off the two-day event with his perspectives on the theory and practice of adaptive management, an approach that incorporates feedback from research in decision-making.

Other notable keynote speakers are Stephen Light, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Minneapolis, Minn.; water economist Bonnie Colby, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Arizona; Bill Lambrecht, Washington correspondent for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; Bradley C. Karkkainen, professor of environmental and natural resources law, University of Minnesota; and Jan Sendzimir, systems ecologist at the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria.

"There is elevated stress on water resources in the Great Plains, not only from the current prolonged drought but also from increasing consumptive demands, for threatened and endangered species and other requirements," said Kyle Hoagland, UNL Water Center director and conference co-organizer.

"These new realities demand a conference where international, national and local experts can focus on a range of economic, social, agricultural, legal and adaptive management topics directly related to how we perceive and use water resources," Hoagland added.

Local experts including W. Don Nelson, state director, Office of U.S. Senator Ben Nelson, UNL hydrogeologist Jim Goeke and Nebraska Department of Natural Resources acting director Ann Bleed will lead a panel discussion on adaptive management challenges in Missouri and Platte River basins and in the High Plains groundwater aquifer.

David Cookson of the Nebraska Attorney General's office, Karkkainen and others will address the legal implications of adaptive management strategies.

Colby will talk about the economic realities of adaptive management and Bruce Hooper of Southern Illinois University will discuss adaptive management from the perspective of what as been done by a river basin management commission on the Delaware River.

Several speakers will delve into the art and science of translating adaptive water management strategies to the public. These include Lambrecht, who recently wrote "Big Muddy Blues" on the history and politics of the Missouri River. Registration is $275 until April 20 and $325 thereafter. Students can attend the conference free. For more information or to register, contact Jacki Loomis, UNL School of Natural Resources at (402) 472-7550, e-mail jvogel2@unl.edu or go to the conference Web site at http://snr.unl.edu/waterconference.

Conference co-sponsors are the University's Water Resources Research Initiative, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Water Center, School of Natural Resources, Departments of Geosciences and Biological Systems Engineering, College of Law and College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Steven W. Ress
Communications Coordinator, UNL Water Center

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Copyright 2006 by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. All rights reserved.
Published by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperating with the counties and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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