Texas Rainwater Catchment Association (TRCA)

In case you have, or have not, attended our convention before; our convention has outgrown the sale barn in Kerrville to a conference and convention setting, the Embassy Suites and Convention Center in San Marcos. There will be separate break-out rooms, separate vendor areas, meals and even a banquet on that Saturday night. We will have fresh, new ideas and points of view, never presented before along with the latest updates on “what’s up” with new rules and regulations.

Partial list of speakers:

J. David Bamberger, Keynote Speaker, founder of the Bamberger Ranch Preserve (BRP), known as “Selah”. The ranch is in the Hill Country near Johnson City, Texas. In 1969 he bought what the locals called “The worst piece of real estate in Blanco County”, 5,500 acres of badly managed, degraded ranch land. He has spent the last 43 years restoring the ranch to health and productivity. It has been described as the largest habitat restoration project on private land in the state of Texas. His work has been featured in newspapers, magazines and television across the country and most recently, he was honored with the prestigious Aldo Leopold Award for conservation by the Sand County Foundation and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Rick & Stephanie Ertel, The energy saving cost of collecting rainwater and 2010 National Energy Value Housing Award

Brent Clayton, Texas Extension Program Specialist

Ashlynn Stillwell, PhD Candidate, University of Texas - The water/energy Nexus

James Beauchamp, Special Assistant, Public Drinking Water Section - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Jim Bateman, Attorney/Counsel - Texas Water Development Board

Dr. Hari J. Krishna, P.E., Commissioner, City of Austin RMC, ARCSA Founder/Past President and IRHA Vice President

Michelle Bertelsen, Ecosystem Design Group, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center University of Texas at Austin - Project Manager for Turfgrass

Abigail Webster, Conservation Program Associate, Austin Water

Byron Hardin, State of water in Texas

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Conference Schedule as of March 20:

Friday, March 30, 2012
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.	100-Level ARCSA Rainwater Harvesting Class, Wade Kolb, Instructor (normally $75 - free with conference registration)
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.	Conference Registration
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.	Welcome Reception    Heavy hors d’oeuvres & beverages
Saturday March 31, 2012
7:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.	Complimentary Breakfast for Hotel Guests
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.	Conference Registration
8:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.	Horticulture and Rainwater Catchment, Calvin Finch - Director of Regional Initiatives and Special Programs for San Antonio Water System
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.	First Morning Session
Breakout Room 1	State of water in Texas - Byron Hardin This presentation is eligible for irrigator CEUs
Breakout Room 2	Presentation by Jim Bateman, Attorney/Counsel - Texas Water Development Board
Breakout Room 3	The Nexus of Energy and Water, Ashlynn Stillwell, PhD Candidate, University of Texas
10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.	Second Morning Session
Breakout Room 1	Presentation by James T. Webb, Ph.D., CAsP, ATP
Breakout Room 2	Rainwater Harvesting as a Development-wide Water Supply Strategy - David Venhuizen, P.E.
Breakout Room 3	Turf Grass Research - Michelle Bertelsen, Ecosystem Design Group, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center University of Texas at Austin
Breakout Room 4	The Role of Rainwater Catchment Systems in Stormwater Management - John Gleason, RLA, Austin Watershed Protection Department
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.	Lunch & Keynote Speaker J. David Bamberger 2011 Drought and Bamberger Ranch Estates
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.	First Afternoon Session
Breakout Room 1	The Energy Saving Cost of Collecting Rainwater - Rick & Stephanie Ertel
Breakout Room 2	Presentation by Brent Clayton, Texas Extension Program Specialist
Breakout Room 3	Rainwater Harvesting in a Common Pool Resource, an Engineering Perspective - John Whear BS, ME
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.	Second Afternoon Session
Breakout Room 1	Ask the Professional - Open Q&A Forum - TRCA Board Members, Wade Kolb, Dr. Hari Krishna, PE
Breakout Room 2	Promoting Rainwater Harvesting in Austin: Learning from the Past, Planning for the Future - Abigail Webster, Conservation Program Associate, Austin Water
4:30 p.m.– 5:30 p.m.	Members-Only Business Meeting, Election of 2012 Board Members
5:30 p.m.	Cocktail Reception, Meet & Greet - Cash Bar in Ballroom A
7:00 p.m.	Dinner in Ballroom A
Sunday, April 1
7:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.	Complimentary Breakfast for Hotel Guests
9:30 a.m.	Meet in Lobby for Tour
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.	Tour of local Catchment System
1:00 p.m.	Conference Ends

Register   (will open a new tab)

Information on conference sponsorship

Information on participating in the trade show

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