“Clearwater UWCD invites the all civic leaders and the general public to the 15th Annual Bell County Water Symposium on November 19th 8am to 5 pm in Belton. The daylong event will again be held in Belton at 2180 North Main Street at the Central Texas Council of Governments Building. The event will start at 8:00 am and conclude by 4:00pm, lunch is provided. Sponsored by Texas AgriLife Extension Service Bell County, HALFF Associates, LBG-Guyton & Associates, Bell County Engineers Office, Baylor University Department of Geology and Lloyd Gosselink Attorneys at Law. Click here for the tentative agenda.

The noon Key note address will be provided by Dr. Robert Mace, Deputy Executive Director, Texas Water Development Board. He will address the “Water Supply & Demand” – Trends and Challenges for the Southwest. Dr. Mace joined the Texas Water Development Board in 1999 to manage the Groundwater Availability Modeling Program. Since then, he has served as the Deputy Executive Administrator for the Water Science and Conservation Department at TWDB overseeing more than 60 scientists, engineers, and specialists dedicated to better understanding of groundwater and surface water resources in Texas. Robert has a B.S. in Geophysics and an M. S. in Hydrology from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and a Ph.D. in Hydrogeology from the University of Texas in Austin.

The theme of this year’s event is to showcase the efforts of our neighboring Groundwater Conservation Districts in Central Texas who are also challenged to protect the aquifer systems for the future, while balancing the needs of current users and the property rights of our respective landowners. We will also provide a legislative update on the 84th Session of the Texas Legislature in addition to a review of recent case law and court decisions affirming groundwater management by conservation districts in Texas.

We only ask that attendees preregister by calling our office at 254-933-0120 by November 13th. This will allow us to prepare enough meals for all attendees.”