Water symposium is Oct. 26-27

· 2 min read

Water symposium is Oct. 26-27

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Managing impacts to water quality in production agriculture is the theme for the Nebraska Water Center’s annual public water symposium Oct. 26 and 27.

Managing impacts to water quality in production agriculture is the theme for the Nebraska Water Center’s annual public water symposium Oct. 26 and 27 at Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center.

Speakers for the symposium will come both from within and outside of the university. Many are noted experts from state, federal and local agencies, as well as from the private sector.

Bruce Lindsey of the U.S. Geological Survey in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, opens the symposium with a national perspective on the risk of nitrate in U.S. groundwaters, followed by Steven Wolf of Lincoln’s JEO Consulting Group on overcoming communication challenges for nitrate abatement.

Additional first morning topics delve into nitrate in groundwater and municipal systems, managing nitrogen at the Natural Resources District level, water quality in Nebraska and Nebraska public water supplies.

In the afternoon talks shift to nitrogen transformation and other complications from nitrate use, such as balancing nitrogen inputs and outputs, storing nitrogen in the critical vadose zone, co-contaminants and age dating sources.

A seven-member panel concludes the first day’s discussions by looking at the science, regulation and culture of water quality in Nebraska.

The second day of the symposium moves into best management practices for reducing nitrogen loss and use through budgets for landscapes, cover crops and best management practices for animal operations.

Closing topics will look ahead to recommendations for moving forward, such as crop yield versus crop inputs; economy, environment and society for nitrogen management, nutrient stewardship and the role education, outreach and extension can play in comprehensive nitrogen management into the future.

The symposium is co-sponsored by the Nebraska Water Center, the USGS Nebraska Water Sciences Center and the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute.

Information and registration details for both events are available here. Public registration is $295. University faculty registration is $195. Student registration is free.

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