The AWRA welcomes you to the 2017 Summer Specialty Conference on Climate Change Solutions: Collaborative Science, Policy and Planning for Sustainable Water Management In this sixth installment of the AWRA Climate Change Conference Series, we continue the dialogue from previous meetings to address the challenges we face as a Nation in understanding and responding to climate change. The Nation's capital, Washington, DC, will serve as the backdrop for the 2017 conference. The conference will provide a unique opportunity for water resources professionals working in research, management, policy and education to gather, discuss and collaborate as they shape the future of sustainable water management. With the conference venue located 20 minutes from downtown DC, we are expecting some of the Nation's foremost policy and decision makers to participate in the dialogue. Please join us for an engaging week of water resources community, conversation and connections.
The theme of this year's meeting is Climate Change Solutions: Collaborative Science, Policy and Planning for Sustainable Water Management. Responding to climate change is complicated by the scale, complexity and inherent uncertainty of the problem. Climate change adaptation must use the best available science while managing uncertainty. Challenges remain in developing the scientific information necessary to support water resources adaptation planning. Managers and policy makers also often struggle with translating information produced by the scientific community for use in decision-making. Collaborative solutions involving scientists, managers and other stakeholders are essential to ensure management and policy decisions are informed by the best available science, and that the scientific community in turn has a strong awareness of managers' and policy makers' highest priority needs.
Rush Holt, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has been invited to be the conference Keynote speaker to be followed by a plenary panel including Manu Lall, Director of the Water Center at the Earth Institute, Columbia University and Water Chapter lead of the National Climate Assessment (NCA4); Zoe Johnson, Climate Change Coordinator, Chesapeake Bay Program; Erica Brown, Chief Sustainability Officer at the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA); and Jordan Fischbach, Policy Researcher and Codirector, Water and Climate Resilience Center at RAND Corporation. This will be followed by 24 technical concurrent sessions highlighting federal, state, local and international issues and responses; vulnerability and adaptation assessments; data and tools to support decision making; stakeholder collaboration, outreach and education; and facility and watershed scale resiliency.
Conference Objectives
Foster collaborative solutions among water, climate and social scientists, water managers, policy makers and other stakeholders to resolve adaption challenges.
Advance the scientific and technical foundation for understanding and responding to climate change impacts on water quantity, quality and aquatic ecosystems
Advance the theory and practice of climate change and water resources impacts, vulnerability and adaptation assessments
Build the capacity for informing adaptation and mitigation decisions in the face of scientific uncertainty; understand how evolving climate science can be used in decision-making
Identify successful instances of collaboration and areas for improved collaboration
Why Should You Attend
The value of an AWRA specialty conference is that water professionals with diverse backgrounds in physical, biological and social sciences, managers, planners, policy makers, educators, and other backgrounds come together to discuss complex issues that cannot be solved by any one professional sector. By participating in the conference, your research and recommendations can inform tomorrow's actions. Similarly, your personal and professional network also will grow from the experience. You will walk away with new contacts (and potential partners), a deeper understanding of these issues, and fresh perspectives.
Two workshops are offered on Sunday:
1. Informed Risk Management: Managing Risk by Simulating Climate Uncertainty in Water Management Models. This hands-on training session is designed for engineers and scientists involved in modeling and decision support for water resources applications. The focus will be on dynamic simulation and modeling techniques for incorporating uncertainty and evaluating risk and reliability of water resources.
2. Tools for Water Data Discovery, Publication and Collaboration. The workshop will enable participants to learn more about discovery, analysis, and publication of water data and models. And from there to collaboration with others around water data and models through a free open-source platform.
The Exhibit Hall will showcase companies with products, services, and information water resources professionals need. It also will host the poster session and displays from our conference sponsors. In between the technical presentations, you will have opportunities to interact with exhibitors, presenters, and each other, including the opening evening reception, the AWRA conference luncheon, and a special evening event.
The Sheraton Premier at Tysons Hotel is located conveniently at the intersection of the Dulles Toll Road (Rte 267) and Leesburg Pike (Rte 7), just minutes from the Capital Beltway (Rte 495) or via complimentary shuttle service from the Silver Line Tysons West Metro Stop, 11 miles from Dulles Airport and 11 miles from Metro Center.
So join us in the Nation's Capital for an engaging week of water dialogue with fellow water resource movers and shakers from throughout the country. Take advantage of everything AWRA has to offer - several days of community, conversation, and connections that will benefit all water resources professionals. We look forward to seeing you there!
