Talk+Water podcast

57:38

Send us a text In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal , explores the importance of communication in addressing Western water issues with Daniel Rothberg, a writer who focuses on research regarding water, public land, mining, and energy. Daniel writes a newsletter, Western Water Notes , focusing on water in the Western U.S. For six years, Daniel worked as an environmental reporter for The Nevada Independent , where his work was recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, Best of the West, and the Society of Environmental Journalists. During that time, he served as president of the Nevada Press Association , working to support and advocate on behalf of outlets across the state. Daniel’s environmental writing has been published in The Nevada Independent, The New York Times, Smithsonian, Inside Climate News, Sierra Magazine, Vox, and High Country News . He is currently based in Davis, California, where he is working toward a master’s in environmental policy. Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves.…

Talk+Water

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#89 - L’Oreal Stepney, Texas' First Statewide Flood Plan (recorded 12/09/2024) 37:38

πριν 8 weeks37:38

37:38

Send us a text In this conversation (recorded on 12/09/2024), Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal , discusses Texas' statewide flood plan with L'Oreal Stepney , P.E., Chairwoman of the Texas Water Development Board. This plan provides a comprehensive assessment of flood risk and solutions to mitigate that risk. L'Oreal Stepney was named Chairwoman of the Texas Water Development Board by Governor Greg Abbott on January 8, 2025. Governor Abbott appointed her to the Board in December 2022 for a term beginning January 1, 2023. Stepney previously served as the deputy executive director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). She began working for TCEQ in 1992, first in the Air Permitting Division for eight years, then as section manager for the Wastewater Permitting Section before being promoted to director of the Water Quality Division in 2003. She also served as deputy director of the Office of Water upon its creation in 2009. The Office of Water encompasses TCEQ's water availability, water districts, groundwater, river compacts, water quality permitting and planning, and public drinking water functions. During her time at TCEQ, Stepney worked closely with the Texas Water Development Board on several water programs. Additionally, Stepney has participated in the group from Texas that meets with Mexico and the International Boundary and Water Commission to negotiate water deliveries under the Rio Grande 1944 Treaty. She is a board member for the Mickey Leland Environmental Internship Program and a graduate of the University of Texas Governor's Center Executive Management Program and the University of Texas Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution Fellows Program. Stepney received a bachelor of science in aerospace engineering and a master of science in civil engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Her term will expire February 1, 2029. Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves.…

Talk+Water

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#86 - Emily Lewis, Colorado River, Utah water, Great Salt Lake 58:39

πριν 13 weeks58:39

58:39

Send us a text In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal , explores the complexities of Colorado River management and related water issues in Utah, with Emily E. Lewis , a Director, Shareholder, and Co-Chair of the Natural Resources and Water Law Practice Group at Clyde Snow and Sessions in Salt Lake City, Utah. Emily assists clients in navigating and solving complex water problems. She regularly advises individual water right owners, water conservancy districts, municipalities, mining companies, investors, and mutual shareholder irrigation companies. Her strategic projects practice extends to innovative policy work and specialty project management. For example, she recently oversaw the Utah Statewide Water Marketing Strategies Project , produced a comprehensive Water Law Policy Inventory and Assessment to inform the Great Salt Lake Basin Integrated Plan , and hosts a weekly podcast, Ripple Effect – A Podcast Putting Water in Context . Emily is curious, creative, and an upcoming thought leader in the water space. Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves.…

Talk+Water

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#85 - Jeremy Mazur & Gabriel Collins, Water Infrastructure & the Texas Economy 1:02:48

πριν 14 weeks1:02:48

1:02:48

Send us a text In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal , discusses water infrastructure funding and the Texas economy with Jeremy Mazur, Director of Natural Resources and Infrastructure Policy for Texas 2036 , and Gabriel Collins, Baker Botts Fellow in Energy and Environmental Regulatory Affairs at Rice University’s James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy (Baker Institute). Jeremy Mazur has over 25 years of working in and with the Legislature and state leaders on water and energy policy issues. Before joining Texas 2036 in 2021, he served as Director of Government Relations for the Railroad Commission of Texas and worked on water policy in the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate. Gabriel Collins is a member of the Center for Energy Studies team member at the Baker Institute and a lead member of the Water-Energy Nexus Thrust at Rice University’s WaTER Institute . He is also an editor at the Texas Water Journal. Gabriel has a J.D. from the University School of Law. Episode Links: Prospective Costs and Consequences of Insufficient Water Infrastructure Investment in Texas Report Assessing Texas' Water Infrastructure Needs Report Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves.…

Talk+Water

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#87 - Jace Tunnell, Tackling Plastic Pollution on the Texas Coast 47:22

πριν 14 weeks47:22

47:22

Send us a text In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal , talks with Jace Tunnell , Director of Community Engagement at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, about his work using digital outreach to combat plastic pollution and promote conservation along the Texas Coast. Jace is the founder of a citizen science project called Nurdle Patrol that tracks plastic pellet concentrations internationally to create awareness of plastics in the ocean and develop new policies based on the data. He also directs and produces a video series called "Beachcombing" about items washing up along the Gulf of Mexico beaches to help promote awareness of Gulf processes and interesting creatures in the ocean. His conservation efforts include educating the public about plastic pollution, marine science, and the protection of our natural resources. Jace received a Master's degree in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in 2001. Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves.…

Talk+Water

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#84 - Brigid Shea, Water Conservation in Travis County, Texas 1:01:55

πριν 16 weeks1:01:55

1:01:55

Send us a text In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution , and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal , talks with Brigid Shea, Travis County Commissioner , about water conservation efforts in Travis County. Brigid is a former award-winning reporter at National Public Radio who has been fighting climate change in Texas since 1988. Along the way, she worked to save Austin’s iconic Barton Springs, organizing a massive city-wide ballot initiative that resulted in the historic Save Our Springs (SOS) law to save Barton Springs. As a former Austin City Council member, she helped create the first wind project in Texas and championed consumer, electoral, and environmental reforms. Since being elected to the Travis County Commissioners Court in 2014, she has won a national award for critical water conservation efforts through the use of reclaimed treated wastewater for non-drinking purposes like air conditioning and plumbing in several county buildings. Brigid previously served on the National Board of Clean Water Action and the State Board of the Texas Campaign for the Environment. Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves.…

Talk+Water

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#83 - Jill Williamson, Water Recovery in Space 50:07

πριν 18 weeks50:07

50:07

Send us a text In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler , Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal , talks with Dr. Jill Williamson, NASA International Space Station (ISS) Water Subsystems Manager and Water Management Co-Task Lead for the Mars Campaign Office Systems Capabilities Leadership Team, about innovative recycling technologies that purify and reuse all water sources, including sweat and urine, to ensure a sustainable, clean water supply for the ISS and astronauts. Jill has 10 years of unique expertise in water recycling and management for microgravity applications, as found on the ISS. Jill has a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Central Missouri and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from The University of Memphis, where she specialized in developing water quality analyzers for an ISS Water Recovery System (WRS) architecture. She now manages the ISS WRS to ensure pristine quality water is available to astronauts for food rehydration and drinks and ISS payloads and oxygen generation. This water recovery system uses a novel and classic water recycling technology that can operate efficiently within a microgravity environment. Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves.…

Talk+Water

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#82 - Perry Fowler, Texas Water Infrastructure Funding Needs 54:43

πριν 21 weeks54:43

54:43

Send us a text In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water, talks with Perry Fowler, Executive Director of the Texas Water Infrastructure Network (TXWIN), about the state of water infrastructure in Texas. As Executive Director, Fowler leads the organization’s efforts to build a strong, sustainable, and competitive Texas water infrastructure construction market through policy development, education, and advocacy. He is also the Principal of Fowler Group Texas, LLC, providing lobbying, government affairs, business consulting, association, and coalition management services. A fifth-generation Texas native, Fowler grew up in the Texas construction industry and has worked as an advocate for the construction industry at the international, national, state, and local levels. Click here to view the 2024 Texas Water Capital Needs Survey. Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves.…

Talk+Water

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#81 - Noelle George, Water Reuse 37:39

πριν 27 weeks37:39

37:39

Send us a text In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal , discusses water reuse with Noelle George, Managing Director of WateReuse Texas . WateReuse Texas represents over 70 organizations working to ensure all future Texans have access to clean, safe water. Before her role at WateReuse Texas, Noelle was Executive Director of an international nonprofit advocating for global change in the areas of women’s rights and disaster recovery through grant-making and volunteer organizing. She started her career as a pipeline engineer and capital project manager at Chevron, winning the Memorial Award from the International School of Hydrocarbon Measurement for her 2006 paper “Hydrocarbon Dew Point Effects on Gas Flow Measurement.” Noelle has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington with an Environmental Focus and considers herself a Pacific Northwest transplant to Houston. Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves.…

Talk+Water

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#80, Maria-Elena Giner - U.S. and Mexico Water Management 57:04

πριν 30 weeks57:04

57:04

Send us a text In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water, talks with Dr. Maria-Elena Giner, P.E., United States Commissioner of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), about managing the water treaties between the U.S. and Mexico. Appointed by President Joe Biden in August 2021, Dr. Giner is the second woman and first Latina to serve as the U.S. IBWC Commissioner. She previously served as General Manager of the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC), an institution that developed environmental infrastructure along the U.S.-Mexico border in association with the North American Development Bank . During her tenure at the BECC, she focused on policies that addressed U.S.-Mexico cooperation on water, energy, and climate change. With the support of the BECC staff, she led the development and financing of $9 billion in environmental infrastructure, benefitting about 100 communities and over 10 million residents. In addition, she has published extensively on water policy and transboundary bilateral cooperation. Dr. Giner’s education includes a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Loyola Marymount University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at El Paso, and a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Texas at Austin. She is also a registered professional engineer, a first-generation college graduate, and the daughter of an immigrant. Dr. Giner is from the border region and attended Loretto Academy High School in El Paso, Texas. Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves.…

Talk+Water

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#79 - Aaron Wolf, Water Conflict Management 39:14

πριν 31 weeks39:14

39:14

Send us a text In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water, talks with Aaron Wolf about managing and resolving water conflicts. Wolf is a Geography Professor at Oregon State University , a Professor of Water Diplomacy at the IHE-Delft Institute for Water Education , and a trained mediator/facilitator. Wolf directs the Program in Water Conflict Management and Transformation at Oregon State University, through which he has offered workshops, facilitations, and mediations around the world. He is also a Professor of Water Diplomacy at the IHE-Delft Institute for Water Education . Wolf authored The Spirit of Dialogue: Lessons from Faith Traditions in Transforming Conflict (Island Press, 2017), which he uses to bring facilitation and capacity-building to a variety of conflict settings, notably between entities who share water resources, and also in faith and interfaith communities, and within and between government agencies. Wolf was awarded the 2016 American Association of Geographers Gilbert R. White Distinguished Public Service Honor “in recognition of his work on seeking peaceful approaches to international competition over water resources” and the 2015 Heinz Award for Public Policy for “applying 21st-century insights and ingenuity, as well as ancient wisdom, to complex problems for the security of the planet.” Finally, in the interest of full disclosure, Wolf and our Texas+Water Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Todd Votteler, are both partners at Four Worlds Consulting , which delivers science-based, innovative approaches to heal disputes that arise, ranging from water and other natural resource conflicts to faith-based tensions. They work in a variety of settings, from urban and rural to domestic and international to public and private sectors. Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves.…

Talk+Water

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#78 - Sam Hermitte, Texas Water Data 51:23

πριν 34 weeks51:23

51:23

Send us a text In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water, talks with Sam Marie Hermitte, Assistant Deputy Executive Administrator of Water Science and Conservation for the Texas Water Development Board, about utilizing data to support water management and conservation. Her responsibilities at the Texas Water Development Board include strategic planning, legislative analysis and implementation, water data, drought policy and project coordination, priority flood research projects, and special initiatives such as the development of the Texas Water Data Hub and TexasFlood.org . Additionally, Sam leads the Texas Water Data Initiative and serves as a member of the Internet of Water Coalition and the Texas Disaster Information System Advisory Committee . She holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy analysis from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s degree in public affairs with a portfolio in integrated watershed studies from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves.…

Talk+Water

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#77 - Chad Berginnis, Floodplain Management & The Association of Floodplain Managers 53:56

πριν 39 weeks53:56

53:56

Send us a text In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, the Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water, talks with Chad Berginnis, Executive Director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM), about the role of floodplain management in mitigating flood loss. As Executive Director of ASFPM, Berginnis frequently collaborates with FEMA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other federal agencies to advocate for effective policies and programs related to mitigating flood risk, strengthening community resilience, protecting our water resources, and advancing equity and social justice. He has also testified before U.S. House and Senate Committees and Subcommittees on a number of topics, including FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program , the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 , and disaster response and recovery issues. In December 2022, Berginnis began a three-year appointment to FEMA's National Advisory Council , where he provides valuable perspective on how the nation can best mitigate, prepare, respond, and recover in the face of growing climate threats. The council advises the FEMA administrator on all aspects of emergency management, including preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation for disasters and national emergencies. Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves.…

Talk+Water

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#76 - Brian Richter, Water Scarcity 1:10:33

πριν 40 weeks1:10:33

1:10:33

Send us a text In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, the Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water, talks with Brian Richter, president of Sustainable Waters , about the challenges posed by water scarcity. Brian Richter has been a global leader in water science and conservation for more than 30 years. As president of Sustainable Waters , a global organization focused on water scarcity challenges, he promotes sustainable water use and management with governments, corporations, universities, and local communities. He previously served as Director of the Global Water Program for The Nature Conservancy , an international conservation organization. Brian has consulted on more than 170 water projects worldwide. He serves as a water advisor to some of the world’s largest corporations, investment banks, and the United Nations and has testified before the U.S. Congress on multiple occasions. He teaches Water Sustainability at the University of Virginia . Brian has developed scientific tools and methods to support river protection and restoration efforts, including the Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration software used worldwide by water managers and scientists. Brian was featured in a BBC documentary with David Attenborough on “How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth?” He has published many scientific papers on the importance of ecologically sustainable water management in international journals. He co-authored a book with Sandra Postel entitled Rivers for Life: Managing Water for People and Nature . His latest book, Chasing Water: A Guide for Moving from Scarcity to Sustainability , has been published in five languages. Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves.…

Talk+Water

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#75 - Megan Lang, Wetlands Status and Trends 55:35

πριν 43 weeks55:35