Water Conference at New Mexico State University
In the West, water is a precious resource. It is the "don divino," the lifeblood of our communities. Water is crucial to our economy and to our quality of life. It is no exaggeration to say that our future depends on it.
Unfortunately, in times of drought and decaying infrastructure, communities, farms, and industry in the West are not getting the water they need to thrive. This is a shared problem, and it's time to collaborate on shared solutions.
And so, I am pleased to co-host the 57th Annual New Mexico Water Conference on August 28, 2012. This day-long conference at New Mexico State University will address the impact of water scarcity in our state. And it will explore possible solutions.
The conference will include testimony from four panels of experts. Panelists will provide a short statement and then respond to moderator and audience questions. This open forum will allow us to hear not just from academics, but also from farmers, ranchers, and the general public. This is an opportunity to have a real dialogue on an issue that is so important to the prosperity of our state.
The title of the conference says it all. Hard Choices: Adapting Policy and Management to Water Scarcity. For, the truth is, we do face hard choices. Our state continues to experience drought-like conditions. And our nation has serious economic and budget challenges. We have to set priorities. We have to be innovative. I am confident that working together, listening to different points of view, we can do both.
I encourage you to get involved, and I hope that you will be able to participate in the conference. It is important that your voice be heard, and I look forward to seeing you there.
To register, please go to http://2012.wrri.nmsu.edu
