Back-to-back one-day water science and water law conferences will be at Lincoln's Cornhusker Hotel Nov. 13 and 14.
The focus Nov. 13 will be on water-related research, practices and policy, while the conference Nov. 14 will feature water law, with continuing legal education for lawyers, including an hour on ethics, said Lorrie Benson, Nebraska Water Center assistant director.
The annual events are being cosponsored and presented by the University of Nebraska's NWC, which is part of the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute, the NU College of Law, the U.S. Geological Survey Nebraska Water Science Center and the Natural Resources Section of the Nebraska State Bar Association.
The separate conferences continue a tradition of packing a lot of information for attorneys, water practitioners and interested public into targeted, easy to attend one-day formats, Benson said.
"We have very strong agendas for both events and hope those interested will register for both."
The Nov. 13 conference, titled "Water: Science, Practice and Policy," will focus on the latest water-related research, programming, practice and policy in Nebraska and the Great Plains, she said. The USGS NEWSC is cosponsoring this event.
The Nov. 14 water conference will focus on information of interest to practicing attorneys, but is open to all. The NU College of Law and the Natural Resources Section of the Nebraska State Bar Association are cosponsoring this event.
Both days will feature natural resources economist Mark Buckley of ECONorthwest. On Nov. 13 he'll discuss the economics of green infrastructure to meet Clean Water Act requirements, including value for smaller communities. For the lawyers on Nov. 14, Buckley will describe how water and ecosystem services are valued for legal and other purposes, using case studies to illustrate his points.
Tuesday's conference will open with Eric Evenson discussing "A Water Census for the Nation." Evenson is the USGS national coordinator for "WaterSMART," the national water census. Next will be "Water Funding: Financing Nebraska's Water Future," which will feature panelists considering alternatives for funding water projects and research in Nebraska going forward. Panelists are W. Don Nelson, Chris Langemeier and Dayle Williamson.
Rounding out the morning will be Iowa State University's Richard Cruse presenting a new report on "Assessing the Health of Streams in Agricultural Landscapes: The Impacts of Land Management Change on Water Quality," and Jesse Bradley, Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, on the state's new approach to evaluating fully appropriated river basins in Nebraska.
"An extended noon hour will feature the popular combined poster session and 'roaming' lunch," Benson said. "This opportunity to view posters and visit with other attendees while enjoying a wide selection of finger foods has been a hit with conference goers, so it's back."
More than 20 afternoon breakout sessions will feature more details on a range of water topics related to research, programming and policy, including a current controversial proposal to shift to groundwater irrigation in Nebraska's Central Platte Natural Resources District and details on DNR's new integrated management approach.
Details of morning general sessions and afternoon breakout sessions can be found online here
Wednesday's Water Law Conference will begin with "Hydrology 101" by UNL geoscientist Jesse Korus and then move to "Water Rights Transfers: Private Sales and NRD Transfers" by Daniel Lindstrom of Jacobsen, Orr, Lindstrom and Holbrook, P.C., LLO.
Later in the morning, David Bargen with Rembolt Ludtke LLP will present "Governmental Liability For Water In The Wrong Place: Lessons From The Columbus Sewer Back-up Case," followed by Anthony Schutz of NU's College of Law reviewing what's new in water law nationally that could impact Nebraska.
Afternoon sessions include one on administrative practice before the Nebraska Departments of Natural Resources and Environmental Quality by LeRoy Sievers and Annette Kovar of those respective departments and "Alternative Dispute Resolution in Water Disputes" by Stephen Moss of Mattson, Ricketts, Davies, Stewart and Calkins.
Marcus Powers, a lawyer as well as co-owner and head brewer for Zipline Brewing Company, will present "Turning Water into Beer: The Impact of Federal, State and Local Laws on Craft Breweries." Sandy Zellmer of NU's College of Law will address 40 years of Supreme Court jurisprudence on the U.S. Clean Water Act and Tom Wilmoth of Blankenau Wilmoth LLP will discuss ethics in water law practice.
Continuing legal education credits are available for Nebraska and Colorado and are pending for Iowa.
More information about both events, including detailed agendas and online registration, is at watercenter.unl.edu. Registering for either day is $155. A discounted rate of $270 applies if registering for both days. Additional questions can be directed to Benson at 402-472-7372 or lbenson2@unl.edu.
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/sqh