The Texas Alliance for Water Conservation is hosting its 8th Annual Water College from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Thursday (Jan. 20) at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. The program brings together area producers, consultants and agriculture industry leaders in an effort to present the latest in water management technologies and practices, upcoming weather patterns, and industry news. The event is free admission and lunch will be served. 

"We look forward to hosting our annual Water College in person once again, and have put together an agenda full of valuable information for all those involved in agriculture.” said TAWC Project Director Rick Kellison. 

Tech's College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources Interim Dean Cindy Akers will open the program, starting at 9 a.m., while Andy Wilkinson, artist-in-residence at Texas Tech's Southwest Collection, will serve as the noon luncheon speaker.

Among the scheduled program highlights are:

9:10 a.m. – The Cost-Price Squeeze Once Again? Agricultural Market Outlook; Darren Hudson, Professor & Larry Combest Chair, Texas Tech Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics

9:40 a.m. – Don't Mess with Texas Water Edition; Brooke Paup, Texas Water Development Board Chairwoman

10 a.m. – A Slippery Slope: Water & Agriculture; Dan Hunter, Asst. Commissioner for Water & Rural Affairs, Texas Department of Agriculture

10:45 a.m. – Sustainability in the U.S. Cotton Supply Chain; Donna McCallister, Assistant Professor, Texas Tech Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics

11:15 a.m. – Real Field Research Overview; What's New in the Water Management Space?; Lloyd Arthur, Ralls County Producer & Jeff Miller, Owner, ForeFront Agronomy

1:30 p.m. – Texas Produced Water Project; Texas State Senator Charles Perry (R-Dist. 28)

2:00 p.m. – Fertilizer & Ag Chemical Challenges and Opportunities in 2022 Growing Season; Kevin Meeks, Business Unit Agronomist, Helena Agri-Enterprises

2:30 p.m. – Weather Outlook 2022; Brian Bledsoe, Chief Meteorologist/Climatologist, KKTV 11 News

Based at Texas Tech and funded by a grant from the Texas Water Development Board, TAWC is a partnership of producers, technology firms, universities and government agencies working to extend the life of the largest subterranean aquifer in the United States. Stretching from the Texas panhandle in the south to the northern boundary of Nebraska, the Ogallala Aquifer lies beneath one of the most important agricultural regions in the United States.

The project uses on-farm demonstrations of cropping and livestock systems to compare the production practices, technologies, and systems that can maintain individual farm profitability while improving water use efficiency with a goal of extending the life of the Ogallala Aquifer while maintaining the viability of local farms and communities.

All production-related decisions are made by the more than 20 producers involved in the project. The project field sites involve more than 6,000 acres in Castro, Crosby, Deaf Smith, Floyd, Hale, Lamb, Lubbock, Parmer and Swisher counties. These sites represent the range of agricultural practices including monoculture cropping systems; crop rotations; no-till, limited-till and conventional tillage practices; land application of manure; and fully integrated crop and livestock systems.

Sponsors for the TAWC 'Water College' include Cotton Inc.; Water Grows; Texas Corn Producers; ForeFront Agronomy; Hurst Farm Supply; Texas Sorghum Producers; Plains Cotton Growers; High Plains Water District; Source Agriculture; SNF Holdings; City of Lubbock; Americot/NexGen; Miller Chemical; Autonomous Pivot; Eco-Drip; and Gowan Cotton.

CONTACT: Samantha Borgstedt, Communications Director, Texas Alliance for Water Conservation Project, Texas Tech University at (806) 789-4177 or samantha.borgstedt@ttu.edu 

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