The Texas Alliance for Water Conservation (TAWC) will host its 10th annual Water College on January 24, 2024. The event — which will be held from 9:00 AM through 3:30 PM at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center — is an opportunity for agriculture producers, consultants, and industry leaders to connect with the latest water management research, technologies, and industry progress. Attendance is free, lunch is included, and the event offers Certified Crop Advisor Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
There will also be two new additions to this year's Water College: a Water & Agriculture Poster Contest and a Sustainable Agriculture Photo Contest. The entry deadlines for the poster and photo contests are on January 10th and 15th, respectively.
Program
8:30 am — Registration & Visit Booths
9:00 am — Welcome
Dr. Clint Krehbiel, Dean of the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources,
TTU
9:15 am — Where's the Water At? A Hydrologist's view of the Ogallala
Amy Bush, Hydrologist, RMBJ Geo Inc.
9:45 am — The Role Produced Water Can Play in Agriculture
Rusty Smith, Executive Director, Texas Produced Water Consortium, Texas Tech University
10:15 am — Coffee Break & Visit Booths
10:30 am — Cotton Trust Protocol: How the program benefits producers
Daren Abney, Executive Director, U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol
11:30 am — Agricultural Water Research – Texas Tech Davis College Leading the Way
Krishna Jagadish, Thornton Distinguished Chair, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences
& Natural Resources, TTU
12:00 pm — Lunch, Visit Booths & Keynote Speakers
Rooted in Agriculture, Texas FFA
1:30 pm — TAWC Field Site Data: What we learned from the 2023 Growing Season
Paxton Peyton, Vice President, Commercial R&D, Goanna Ag
2:00 pm — Weather Outlook – What can we expect in 2024?
Jennifer Puryear, Meteorologist, RMBJ Geo Inc.
2:30 pm — Water is Our Future – Texas Tech Davis College Student Presentations
The TAWC in action
The TAWC is a unique partnership which brings together researchers from Texas Tech University and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension risk management specialists with area producers. By analyzing production practices, technologies, and systems using in-field demonstrations, the project aims to extending the life of the Ogallala Aquifer while maintaining the viability of local farms and communities.
In addition to the annual Water College, the TAWC serves as a central network of information for producers, offering resources like free online tools and hosting field day demonstrations.