Texas Living Waters Policy Summit: Defining Our Water Future Together

This December, the Texas Living Waters coalition will convene policymakers, advocates, industry leaders, researchers, and community voices from across the state for a forward-looking conversation designed to move toward practical, durable solutions. Attendees will explore the biggest water challenges facing Texas, from growth and groundwater to innovation and long-term sustainability, while helping build a shared vision for what comes next.

Confirmed Speakers Include: as of Oct 30, 2026

Sarah Schlessinger, Texas Water Foundation
Jennifer Walker, National Wildlife Federation
Sarah Kirkle, Texas Water Association
Rogelio Rodriguez, Water Finance Exchange
Julie Nahrgang, Water Environment Association of Texas
Director Ashley Morgan, Texas Water Development Board
Temple McKinnon, Texas Water Development Board
Jason Afinowicz, Freese and Nichols
Katherine Romans, Hill Country Alliance
Usman Mahmood, Bayou City Waterkeeper
Tara Bushnoe, Upper Guadalupe River Authority
Riverhorse Nakadate, Author, Water Lines
Grahame Jones, Texas Conservation Alliance
Myron Hess, Tributary Consulting
Jacob Hupp, Galveston Bay Foundation
Shane Bonnot, Coastal Conservation Association
Bill Balboa, Matagorda Bay Foundation
Robert Mace, Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
Vanessa Puig Williams, Environmental Defense Fund
Adam Foster, Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts
Robert Moncada, Chief of Staff, Chairman Cody Harris
Larry French, Texas Public Policy Foundation

Morning Sessions: 8:00AM—12:00PM

Breakfast and Welcome
Kick off the day with breakfast tacos and conversation with a diverse range of policymakers, advocates, industry leaders, researchers, and community voices from across the state.

The Promise of the Texas Water Fund: Exploring Proposition 4
Explore what new state investment can make possible, how funds can translate into projects, and what implementation requires for utilities, communities, flood resilience, and technical assistance.

Understanding the 2027 State Water Plan
Offer a clear view of the State Water Plan and clarify what it does—and does not—do. The conversation will examine the roles of state and local implementers, and how the plan should be used to guide decision-making.

Building Flood Resilience in Texas Communities
Connect lessons from recent disasters and recovery efforts to the unfinished work of the State Flood Plan, including the policies and investments needed to help communities prepare, reduce risk, and recover.

Lunch: 12:00PM-1:00PM:
Enjoy a lunchtime conversation with colleagues and friends and experience a discussion with and reading from Riverhorse Nakadate, author of Water Lines: A Life on Marshes, Rivers, Seas and in the Rain.

Afternoon Sessions: 1:00PM—4:00PM

Responsible Seawater Desalination
Consider a protective, science-based framework for evaluating proposed seawater desalination projects, with attention to intake and discharge, bays and estuaries, fisheries and wildlife, coastal communities, and transparent permitting decisions.

Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers
Enjoy an exclusive look at the new documentary from Fin & Fur Films that features wildlife stories from Texas' major river basins, and looks at water, wildlife, and land conservation in Texas.

Water for the Environment
Examine how streamflow in Texas rivers has changed over time and what that means for healthy rivers, ecosystems, communities, and long-term water security.

Groundwater Under Growing Demand
Discuss the policy choices needed to manage groundwater amid expanding municipal, industrial, agricultural, and data-center demand, balancing economic growth, landowner interests, local management, and resource sustainability.

Shared Priorities and a Call to Action
Synthesize the day’s insights into a focused set of takeaways and opportunities for collaboration, advocacy, and legislative action across Texas.

To learn about sponsorship opportunities, visit here. For any questions regarding sponsorship opportunities, please contact Suzanne King ([email protected]).