Smart Growth for Water Resources Conference

Who this Conference is for:

City and County staff and leadership, City Council Members, County Quorum Court Members, County Judges, design and engineering practitioners, water quality and watershed professionals, and those in the conservation fields, development sector, industry/business, real estate, utilities and agriculture fields, as well as the general public, are encouraged to attend.

Scholarships are available to City and County staff and leadership, City Council Members, County Quorum Court Members. Inquiries can be sent to info@beaverwatershedalliance.org.

Event Overview:
As our region prepares for the incredible milestone of 1 million residents, we believe now is the time to come together to shape a future that balances growth, natural resources, and quality of life.

The “Smart Growth for Water Resources” conference is dedicated to addressing the challenges of natural resources and growth, including flooding and stormwater management in Northwest Arkansas (NWA) through the lens of smart growth principles. This event brings together experts, practitioners, and community leaders to explore proactive water management strategies, share best practices, develop actionable solutions for resilient communities, and aid in growth planning for developing communities.

Key Themes:

• Flooding and stormwater management in NWA watersheds
• Workshopping with experts to prepare for anticipated growth and water challenges
• Collaborative strategies for water management
• Knowing the tools for water management
• On-site tours of local demonstrations
• Economics of water management
• Community Outreach and Engagement

Objectives:

• Raise Awareness: Increase regional understanding of the intersection of smart growth principles and watershed/water quality management, highlighting the importance of proactive flood management strategies for building resilient communities and watersheds.
• Knowledge Exchange: Facilitate the sharing of expertise, best practices, and innovative approaches to stormwater/flood mitigation and adaptation among experts, practitioners, and community leaders.
• Build Partnerships: Foster collaboration and networking opportunities among diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, academia, and community organizations, to develop integrated solutions for community watershed resilience.
• Capacity Building: Equip participants with the knowledge, tools, and resources necessary to implement effective flood management strategies and stormwater mitigation by leveraging smart growth principles to minimize flood risk and enhance community preparedness and response.
• Action Planning: Workshop through real challenges and issues together and develop actionable goals and recommendations. Explore model codes/ordinances.
• Develop a Shareable Plan: Develop a compilation of Conference Proceedings and Action Plans to serve as a shareable document that outlines the tools and policies that work in NWA, potential risks and challenges, case studies, and solutions.

Smart Growth “Table Talks”

The Beaver Watershed Alliance and Illinois River Watershed Partnership are working together to visit with local leadership to hear their perspectives and thoughts on Smart Growth and how we manage our water resources.

Table Talks Episode 1: Lane Crider

Table Talks Episode 2: Nelson Peacock

Planning Committee:

Thank you to the following Planning Committee members: Leif Kindberg – Illinois River Watershed Partnership, Wes Craiglow – Urban Land Institute, Karen McCurdy, Kelsey Criswell – FTN/Olsson, Rob Smith – NWA Council, Trish Ouei – Beaver Water District.

Thank you to the US EPA and the Arkansas Dept. of Agriculture – Natural Resources Division for the opportunity to provide this program under the Nonpoint Source Pollution Program, Project #22-500, titled, “Smart Growth for Source Water Protection in the Beaver Lake Watershed.”

 Registration

Online registration is closed. Registration table will be open the morning of the conference. We can only accept check payments for morning of registrations.