Spring Conference

AWRA 2022 Spring Conference

Water Risk Under a Rapidly Changing World - Evaluation & Adaptation

April 25-27, 2022 | Tuscaloosa, AL

Registration is open!

     

Image Credits: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2021). https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/, DOI: 10.25921/stkw-7w73

Join us for the AWRA 2022 Spring Specialty Conference co-hosted by the AWRA Future Risk Committee and the Alabama Water Institute. With a theme of "Water Risk Under a Rapidly Changing World: Evaluation and Adaptation", this conference seeks to bring together a diverse multi-disciplinary group of water professionals - both thought leaders and on-the-ground implementers to disseminate, share and learn about cutting-edge solutions aimed at evaluating future water risks and improving human adaptation to those risks.

Thank you for attending!

Take a look back at the community, conversation, and connection at #AWRA2022 and view our attendee map.

 

IMPORTANT: In order to receive important communication from the AWRA Team about your conference participation, you must add [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected] to your safe sender list.

NOTICE:

Click here for the Conference Program

AWRA will continue to hold this conference in-person as planned with strict safety and health protocols in place to continue our commitment to keep conference participates and AWRA safe. We cannot confirm there will be a hybrid component to this conference at this time. When submitting a Call for Topical Sessions and Workshops, please submit these knowing you are making a commitment to be in-person. If circumstances change in the local area (i.e. similar to the overwhelming spread of COVID-19 in Orlando and the health crisis that followed), the AWRA Board of Directors will assess the situation as it unfolds and may choose to make different choices at this time.

In the world we live in today, there is an inherent and permanent risk of being exposed to COVID-19 in your daily life. Trips to the grocery store, getting gas, picking up your children from school, and seeing family and friends are among the risks we take daily to live a normal and productive life. AWRA seeks to normalize how the AWRA community can gather in-person to fulfill our mission of community, conversation, and connection in the water resources community. Our safe and healthy protocols in place are the best practices of in-person gatherings today. The restrictions that are in place are the current standards, and protocols may change closer to the conference date. UPDATED: February 24, 2022

Conference Dates, Location & Hotel

April 25-27, 2022
The conference will take place at the Bryant Conference Center at the University of Alabama
240 Paul W Bryant Dr
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 | USA

Attendees may book a room at the official conference hotel, Hotel Capstone.
320 Paul Bryant Dr
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 | USA
The room rate is $125.00 single/double occupancy and the room block ends April 8, 2022. Click here to reserve your room as early as possible as rates cannot be guaranteed once the block sells out. You may also book you room by calling the hotel at 205-752-3200 and referencing the room block name "AWRA Conference 2022."   

Hotel perks: Plenty of free on-site parking, complimentary high speed Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, 24 hour business center, outdoor pool, fitness center, G&L Market, Capstone Rewards, Legends Bistro and Bar, steps away from the Conference site: Bryant Conference Center, walking distance to most athletic facilities, and less than 2 miles to downtown dining, nightlife, shopping & attractions.

Transportation shuttle from Tuscaloosa airport:
Groome Transportation 

$40.00/one way

Deadlines

Scroll down for JAWRA featured collection and Water Resources IMPACT magazine deadlines.

• April 10, 2022: Field trip to the National Water Center registration deadline.
• CLOSED: Early bird registration ends.
• CLOSED: Call for Abstracts
• CLOSED: Call for Topical Sessions

Conference Details

The 2022 Spring Conference Program is now available. Click here for the program at-a-glance, session schedule, speakers, and gain access to the abstracts.

Water risk is an on-going concern due to rapid population growth, urbanization, increased frequency of extreme climate events, long-term trends on sea level rise and melting glaciers, degraded landscape, aging infrastructure, and unequitable access to clean drinking water. Here, the term risk is used in its broadest sense to reflect its multidimensional nature and includes both risks from natural disasters such as flooding and drought, and the consequent landslide, water scarcity, and further infrastructure failure and public health issues. The COVID-19 pandemic raises public awareness of the importance of universal and equitable access to water, sanitation, and hygiene as a critical public health issue. Wildfires in the western coast and the dams’ failure in central Michigan in 2020 are other examples of the emergency to better evaluate and adapt to climate and water risks. It is imperative that water professionals from various sections collaborate and share cutting-edge solutions to future risks. 

Why Attend?

The conference seeks to bring together a diverse multi-disciplinary group of water professionals - both thought leaders and on-the-ground implementers to disseminate, share and learn about cutting-edge solutions aimed at evaluating future water risks and improving human adaptation to those risks. Topics will range from actionable science, to evaluation and planning methods, to design and implementation of specific infrastructure projects, and design and implementation of programs and policies. As with other AWRA conferences, the conference seeks to present excellent networking opportunities and build an exciting conversation around future water risks. Other proposed highlights include - multidisciplinary workshops focused on understanding future risks and proactive adaptation, field trips touring the National Water Center (NWC) and local water bodies, as well as opportunities for students to present their research and network with water professionals in the field.

Stay tuned for more information. For those traveling from outside of the United States, please reference our Invitation Guidelines and Instructions by clicking here. Make sure you are signed up to receive AWRA News and follow us on Facebook: @NATIONALAWRA and Twitter: @AWRAHQ.

JAWRA Featured Collection

JAWRA, Journal of the American Water Resources Association, is planning a Featured Collection to highlight and build upon contributions from the AWRA Spring 2022 Specialty Conference on Water Risk Under a Rapidly Changing World - Evaluation & Adaptation. Manuscripts will be considered on research related to any of the conference themes. Authors who plan to submit a manuscript to the Featured Collection issue of JAWRA are encouraged to present their work at the conference. The Featured Collection is planned to be published in June 2023 and below is the schedule. Learn more.

• May 1- July 31, 2022: Submission window for full JAWRA manuscripts.
• June 2023: Publication of Featured Collections in JAWRA.

Water Resources IMPACT Magazine

This special companion issue of Water Resources IMPACT magazine will bring together articles from across the sector to discuss novel solutions that address urgent water risks in a changing world - the theme of the 2022 Spring Conference. Articles should range between 800 and 1500 words, include non-technical content that appeals to a broad audience, and reflect the breadth of topics addressed at the conference.

• CLOSED: Provide a 150 word summary with title to Michael Campana, AWRA IMPACT Editor-in-Chief. You will receive a response in seven business days.
• CLOSED: Final articles due for special IMPACT issue.

Registration & Cancelation Policy

TIP! Save even more as an AWRA Member! Gateway members are not eligible for discounted registration rates. 

• Full Registration Rates (Member / Non-Member & Gateway):
  • Early Bird - March 2: $550 / $750
  • March 3 - Onsite: $650 / $850
• Student Registration Rates (Member / Non-member):
  • Early Bird - March 2: $95 / $145
  • March 3 - Onsite: $105 / $155
NOTE: Students must email their student ID and verification of their full-time student status to [email protected] in order to receive the student rate. The verification must contain how many credit hours the student is currently enrolled.
• One Day Registration Rates (Member / Non-member & Gateway):
  • Early Bird - March 2: $300 / $500
  • March 3 - Onsite: $400 / $600
NOTE: Students registering for one-day pay the applicable rate above. There is not a discounted one-day student rate.

BEFORE REGISTERING, click here to read the COVID-19 Liability Waiver and Affirmation of Conduct Restrictions. You will be required to sign, date, and upload this into the conference verification tool. Information will be provided for this tool at a later date. All conference participants (presenters, moderators, panelists, etc.) must register at the appropriate registration rate. AWRA Gateway members are not eligible for discounted conference rates. The registration fees are the major source of funding for the Conference, and the sharing of registrations is prohibited - every person attending the conference must register. For presenters, if two or more individuals will be presenting, each individual must register for the conference. This includes: all technical session presenters; all panel session presenters; and all poster session presenters.

Cancelations must be made in writing. We can transfer your registration to someone else by March 11, 2022. Those cancelations received by March 11, 2022 will be subject to a processing fee of 25% of total fees. No refunds will be given after March 11, 2022 - no exceptions! Abstract submission fees are nonrefundable. Refunds will be processed after the conclusion of the conference.

Conference Sponsors & Exhibitors

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Conference Exhibitors