AWRA 2008 Annual Water Resources Conference

Welcome to the Big Easy and AWRA’s 2008 Annual Water Resources Conference!

This year our conference is located at the beautiful Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, located on historic Canal Street just steps from the French Quarter and within walking distance to beignets and café au lait, Royal Street, the French Market, Jackson Square, Bourbon Street, the Aquarium of the Americas, an IMAX Theater, Riverwalk Marketplace, and all the world-famous restaurants and live music clubs of the Vieux Carré. While some of the surrounding areas are still working hard on the Katrina recovery effort, downtown New Orleans and the famous French Quarter are alive and well, setting record attendance numbers at many events.

But more than the excitement of the city draws AWRA to New Orleans. The Mississippi River delta, the Louisiana coastline and the entire southeast are at the center of some of the most serious water resources problems currently being experienced by the United States. New Orleans is the perfect location to focus our attention on current water resources issues at the local, regional, national, and international levels. This year’s conference promises to live up to the excellent benchmark set by previous conferences with a little lagniappe thrown in for good measure! Our technical sessions promise to be informative and thought provoking. They’ll cover topics as diverse as our multi-disciplinary members. You will find our keynote speakers are second to none when it comes to federal, state and local perspectives on New Orleans and coastal Louisiana water resources issues. In addition to some excellent optional technical field trips, including a tour of some of the areas ravaged by hurricane Katrina, we are offering some opportunities for everyone to participate in the rebirth of this unique city. We will again be hosting the popular awards luncheon, student career night, and a Tuesday evening Fais Do-do that you will not want to miss!

Register early for the best rates. If you aren’t yet an AWRA member, take advantage of the one-click join & register option to save a little on your registration fee and receive great AWRA member benefits through the end of the year.

Join us in New Orleans! Laissez les bon temps roulée.

David R. Watt, Conference General Chair

AWRA’s 2008 Annual Conference is designed specifically to provide a multidisciplinary approach to water resources issues that range from local to international in scope. It will bring a valuable, rewarding experience to any individual involved in water resources, both from exposure to outstanding oral technical presentations and poster presentations, but also for unparalleled networking opportunities with fellow water resources professionals. It also will provide attendees the opportunity to see what has been done to restore New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta and what remains to be done.

Among those in the water resources community both nationally and internationally who will benefit greatly from attending the Conference are:

Agronomists Biological Scientists Consultants Ecologists Economists Educators Engineers Foresters Geographers Geologists Hydrologists and Hydrogeologists Information Technology and GIS Specialists Legislators and Legislative Staff Local, State, Regional, Tribal and Federal Government Representatives Natural Resources and Watershed Managers		NGO’s and Community Based Organizations Physical Scientists Planners Policy Makers River Basin Association Representatives Regulators Researchers Sociologists Soil Scientists Students Utility Managers Water Distribution Professionals Water Law Practitioners Water Resources and Natural Resource Attorneys Waste Water Professionals