Drought Contingency Planning was needed to address the challenges posed by an expected warmer and drier climate in the future as well as associated adaptations to climate variability, funding limitations, growing demands and other issues that threaten the long-term sustainability of the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the Chickasaw Nation. The Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer is the only source of drinking water in the region and drought severely depleted the region’s water resources. Communities experienced severe water shortages and were challenged to implement unprecedented measures to maintain basic water service. During this webinar, Barney Austin will discuss how Drought Contingency Planning in the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer helped them prepare for and respond to drought conditions, the critical role of tribal nations, and the lessons learned that are transferable to other drought response efforts across the nation.
About the Speaker:
Barney Austin is the President and CEO of Aqua Strategies, a water resources engineering firm based out of Austin, TX. He has worked on water resources planning issues in Texas and Oklahoma for over 20 years, and was the former Director of the Surface Water Resources Division at the Texas Water Development Board until 2009. In addition to consulting for the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations in Oklahoma, he is an Adjunct Professor at both East Central and Oklahoma State Universities. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering and a PhD in Civil Engineering (Water Resources). He is a Professional Engineer, licensed in Texas.
CCAST Webinar Series:
This webinar series is one way the CCAST partnership is increasing communication to help our agencies and partners address shared conservation challenges. If you would like to learn more about CCAST or get involved, please contact Matt Grabau
(matthew_grabau@fws.gov) or Genevieve Johnson (gjohnson@usbr.gov).