Water Resources Conference attracts record crowd, hosts student research awards

The Auburn University Water Resources Center welcomed a record 370 attendees to its annual Alabama Water Resources Conference in Orange Beach Sept. 4-6. The conference has been held since 1987. 

This year’s conference included 80 undergraduate and graduate students from Auburn and other universities around the state competing in three research presentation categories. Oral presentation winners from Auburn included Megan Armstrong in first place, Jillian Sower tied for second place and Ashley Hennessey in third place.

Poster presentation winners from Auburn included Shruthi Koneti in first place and Will Rich in third place. Auburn student Emily Ward was the winner of the lightning talks category.

Conference sessions focused on a broad range of topics, including stormwater, restoration, water quality, outreach, drought and climate, coastal issues, aquatic ecology and harmful algal blooms.

The event kicked off with a symposium focused on the intricacies of hydrologic connectivity. The symposium included presentations and a panel discussion with Nate Jones of the University of Alabama, Mitch Reid of the Nature Conservancy in Alabama, Rachel DuBose of the U.S. Geological Survey and Sam Blumenfeld of the Westervelt Company. Each of them highlighted work being completed in the Southeast and the importance of partnerships and how understanding hydrologic connections is essential for addressing regional water challenges and opportunities.

Conference keynote speakers included Mark Masters, executive director of the Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center at Albany State University; and Rebecca Bearden, aquatic ecologist for the Geological Survey of Alabama’s Ecosystems Investigations Program.

The Alabama Water Resources Conference serves as a platform for researchers, industry leaders, agencies and other water resource professionals to present their most recent findings and share their expertise on water-related topics.

The 2025 Alabama Water Resources Conference will be Sept. 3-5 at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach.