AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala.—The 2022 Alabama Water Resources Conference (ALWRC) was held Sept. 7-9 at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach. The ALWRC is facilitated by the Auburn University Water Resources Center (AUWRC). It was an opportunity for water professionals and academics to share research, programs and outreach methods.  

AUWRC Programs and Communications Coordinator Rachel McGuire said participants include representatives of local, state and federal agencies, as well as private industry, non-governmental organizations, academia and interested citizens.

Alabama Extension Supports ALWRC

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Alabama Agricultural Experiment Stations (AAES) recruit presenters to share their work and research on science-based water resource management.  

“Without Alabama Extension and AAES investment in AUWRC programs, we could not fulfill our mission areas of interdisciplinary research, training scientists of the future and offering impactful Extension programs,” McGuire said. “We are so appreciative of the year-round support they provide.” 

Sharing Important Information

This year’s conference spanned three days beginning with the Alabama Chapter of the American Water Resources’ Symposium highlighting ecological infrastructure. The featured speakers for the symposium included Michael Roberts, president of the Coastal Trust, and Judy Haner, marine program director with The Nature Conservancy of Alabama. 

“The annual ALWRC offers a unique opportunity for water professionals from across the state and Southeast to learn from each other,” McGuire said. “Research is shared with users that can then take new knowledge home to implement findings. “

Attendees also had the opportunity to attend a panel discussion on sea level adaptation. More than 120 concurrent session speakers shared information about emerging research, interagency programs and funding opportunities. Along with 38 poster presenters, McGuire said a new record for ALWRC information transfer was set.  

Record Attendance

 The 2022 ALWRC had more than 340 registrants and over 320 active participants from at least 10 states. A poll at the conference found that approximately 40% of participants attended their first ALWRC. 

“The ALWRC has a superb and growing reputation for being a quality meeting in a premier location,” McGuire said. “We believe people are eager to get back together following virtual meetings over the past two years.” 

More Information

The 2023 ALWRC will again be held at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach Sept. 6-8.  

For more information about ALWRC, visit www.aaes.auburn.edu/wrc/. To learn more about water resources, visit aces.edu.