The Institute holds at least one conference on major water issues each year.

Previous Conferences and Workshops

TPDES Storm Water and Total Maximum Daily Load Programs- “Nuts and Bolts Workshop” - April 2008

The River Systems Institute, Texas State University-San Marcos, in partnership with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and the Houston-Galveston Area Council, hosted a one-day workshop at the Lone Star Convention Center, Conroe, Texas on April 9, 2008.  The workshop goal was to present a wide-array of resources and practical information about both the TMDL Program and TPDES SW permit requirements, how to implement them, and how to fund them   Information about how the programs can work together to achieve common water quality objectives was emphasized.

FORECAST: Climate Change-Texas Water 2008- April 28-30, 2008

Climate change is inevitable.  Regional and local impacts unknown. At risk:  Texas Water and all who depend upon it for survival. The warning is clear, but how do we plan for it?  
This timely conference took a comprehensive look at what we know about climate change and what we need to know about local impacts to Texas’ water, its availability, and to the communities, both natural and human, that depend on it.  Over the course of three days, Forecast: Climate Change – Texas Water 2008, highlighted international and national climate change scientists who have conducted cutting-edge work in the prediction of global warming and the impending changes on the earth’s climate.  The conference also featured climatologists and scientists who are working to understand the impacts to the State of Texas and its water resources.  Through an agenda of symposia, panel discussions, and workshops, we examined our current body of knowledge and ask the hard question on whether we are prepared for climate change in Texas. 

15th National Nonpoint Source Monitoring Workshop, August 26-30, 2007

Under a grant funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Institute joined the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in hosting the EPA’s 15th National NPS (Nonpoint Source) Monitoring Workshop.  Under the theme “Monitoring for Decision Making, this conference focused on national, as well as local, water quality monitoring projects and their applications in water resource management and policy decisions.  Conference presentations are available on the conference website.

Charting the Course - November 2006

Sponsored by the River Systems Institute, Charting the Course focused on the state’s water management status, specifically relating to the 2007 Texas Water Plan and the implications and obstacles to its implementation as well as how policy issues of the next legislative session might provide a framework for overcoming those obstacles. In addition, the event provided insight into the complexity of water resource planning issues, including water conservation, reuse, environmental flows and groundwater management. Conference presentations are available on the conference website.

Flows for the Future: Environmental Flows Conference - November 2005

As Texans place ever-increasing demands on our fresh water resources, finding a balance between meeting human needs and maintaining ecosystem health has become a priority for our state. This conference focused on questions related to ensuring adequate instream flows in the rivers and freshwater inflows to the bays and estuaries.

Texas Groundwater 2004: Toward Sustainability

This conference, envisioned to be the first of a regular biannual series, was designed to help leaders from the groundwater community, policy makers, stakeholders, government officials and interest groups focus on the conservation of groundwater. The conference included panel discussions with key state leaders who provided forecasts and opinions on the direction of new groundwater policy and over 75 presentations on Texas aquifer science, policy, and groundwater technology including aquifer tests and groundwater modeling

Living in Flood Alley: Lessons to Learn

This conference held in 2003 was sponsored by the Institute in collaboration with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority and Texas Watch. The purpose of the conference was to review recent flooding events in Central Texas and address ways to reduce losses from future floods.