2021 Summit Agenda - Ogallala Water

February 24, 2021 - Day 1 of 2

8:00-8:30 a.m. Central Time:

Welcome from Ogallala Water director Meagan Schipanski

Kickoff keynote “Tackling tough questions” John Tracy (Texas Water Resources Institute)

Small group icebreaker: “Picture a thriving region in 30 years. How do you imagine agriculture looking similar or different in terms of pumping, crop choice, markets, input use, covid, technology and other tools, partnerships, or other factors?

8:30 a.m.-9:45 a.m. Central Time:

Panel & Interactive Workshop #1 - Water: what motivates action? This session will showcase effective water-management activities and partnerships underway throughout the region. Focal question: How to leverage and link local actors and actions that make a difference today that also serve longer-term, larger goals?

Panel moderator: Hannah Birge, Director of Water & Agriculture Programs at The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska.

Panelists: Gina Gigot (Garden City, KS) Circle Land & Cattle & SW KS emerging partnership on water use; Brandi Baquera (Colorado Master Irrigator program in the Republican River Basin; Jason Warren (Goodwell, OK - Testing Ag Performance Solutions program active in OK and in NE): Robert Hagevoort, NMSU Dairy specialist

Short keynote interlude: Acting Chief Terry Cosby. NRCS priorities and focus related to of soil and water management in the Ogallala region

9:50 a.m.-11:50 a.m.

Panel #2: Managing risk with limited water. This diverse panel will cover adaptation approaches to maintaining business profitability, soil health, playas, and understanding and mitigating drought risk. Focal questions: Who needs to know what, and when? What groups could be communicating more to help mitigate risk given the water limitations and declines in this region? What are the short and longer term time scales in which risk management must happen to improve resilience?

Panel moderator: Joel Lisonbee, NOAA/National Integrated Drought Information System (CO)

Panelists: Ken McCarty, McCarty Family Farms (Rexford, KS); Anne Bartusevige, Playa Lakes Joint Venture; Meagan Schipanski, Ogallala Water CAP, Colorado State University; Ben Holland, Research Scientist, Cactus Feeders (Amarillo, TX)

Panel #3 Water + Communities Centering in on the pivotal and central role of farmer decision making for the region’s water future, this session will focus on gathering perspectives of different generations to refine our perspective on what it means for ag to be successful and sustainable in this region going forward. Focal questions: What is the value of groundwater to current and future generations? What does progress in water management look like for the region?

Panel moderator: Susan Metzger, Kansas State University; Panelists: Tim and Gerald Franklin, Producers- Goodland, KS; C.E. Williams, General Manager of the Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District (White Deer, TX); Russell Isaacs, Producer, Turpin OK, Panhandle Irrigators; Dustin Meyer, Panhandle Regional Planning Commission (Amarillo, TX)

Interactive workshop #2: Addressing barriers to action to achieve important goals with multi-generational impacts. During this workshop, participants will consider social, economic, and policy-driven factors that hinder adaptation and action, and strategies and opportunities that could be replicated or adapted to make a difference on water related challenges, and strategies for supporting and mobilizing younger generations that are taking on the mantle of economic and resource stewardship.

11:50-12:00 Wrap on day 1 and looking ahead to day 2!

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February 25, 2021- Day 2 of 2

8:00-8:15 a.m. Central Time

Day 2 welcome from David Brauer (USDA-ARS, Ogallala Aquifer Program) and keynote “Water use in the Ogallala aquifer region: who is pumping it and how has that changed over time?” by Natalie Houston (USGS, Texas)

8:15-9:20 Panel #4 and Interactive Workshop - Water + common ground. Many stakeholders (ag lenders, energy companies, NRCS, multi-national companies, etc. directly depend on and are integral in terms of shaping how farmers manage water and manage water-related risk on their operations. Focal question: Given the many ag-industry factors that shape or influence producer decisions, how might these entities, policies, forces etc. be leveraged or modified to better align with and support farm profitability and productivity over the short- and long term?

Panel moderator: Kylen Hunt (NE);

Panelists: Billy Tiller Grower Information Services Coop (GiSC), Texas; Adam Borcya (Ag lender); Matt Long, Producer & seed supplier, Red Barn Enterprises, Leoti, KS; Cory Gilbert, OnTarget Ag (CO)

9:30-11:00 Central Time:

Panel #5 and Interactive Workshop - Effective communications and training the next generation of water leaders

Moderator: Weston McCary (NWKTC Precision Ag program, Goodland, Kansas)

Panelists: Katherine Drury, High Plains Water District (Lubbock/Canyon, TX), David Smith, TX 4-H2O Ambassadors; Amy Hammett, (Educator, Maize, KS); Jerod McDaniel, Producer (OK) and podcast host of Ag Uncensored

11:05-11:45 Interactive CAPSTONE WORKSHOP: During this session we will synthesize info covered during the summit, identifying & prioritizing actions/programs with potential to benefit the aquifer and the region’s communities if supported through increased collaboration within and across state lines.

Final wrap-up exercise and concluding thoughts: closing remarks: Macy Down, TX 4H2O Ambassador.

12:00 p.m. Summit adjourns.

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