The Kansas Water Office (KWO) is excited to announce the 2016 Governor’s Water Conference speakers. The conference is Monday, November 14 and Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at the Hilton Garden Inn & Conference Center in Manhattan, KS.

This is the fifth year for the conference and it will consist of a different format, which includes a welcome reception Sunday night, November 13. The event will highlight the Kansas Water Vision, focusing on the value of water and delivering recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Funding Task Force as well as the Education Working Group. The latest policy and research developments of water issues in Kansas will also be featured.

Conference speakers include:

• David B. LaFrance, American Water Works Association, CEO
• Michael J. Teague, Oklahoma Energy & Environment, Secretary
• Denise Hickey, North TX Municipal Water District, Water Resource Program & Public Education Manager
• Ogallala Economic Panel, Eli Fenichel- Assistant Professor, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies; Bill Golden Research Assistant Professor, K-State University, Department of Agricultural Economics; Tim James Senior Sustainability Scientist, Arizona State Univ., Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability
• Rob Manes, Nature Conservancy-Kansas, Director

Legislators, water managers, scientists, state, federal, city and county administrators as well as organizations, irrigators and citizens who share an interest in Kansas water resources are encouraged to attend.

Registration is now available online at www.kwo.org. The registration deadline is November 1. Conference details, brochure, speakers and sponsors can be found online as well.

The Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas is hosted by the KWO, K-State /Kansas Water Resource Institute and Kansas Geological Survey/KU.  Sponsors for the event come from multiple diverse water interests. Major sponsors for the event include Black & Veatch, Burns & McDonnell and Great Lakes Dredge & Dock.