Water planning meeting focuses on future supply in East Texas

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) - Water sources don’t last forever. That was one of the takeaways from a special water planning meeting in Nacogdoches.

The meeting was hosted by the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce. Ashley Morgan, director of the Texas Water Development Board, was the guest speaker. Her presentation discussed the state’s water planning and how Texas hopes to answer water challenges in the future.

East Texas Water Institute attends

Dr. Drew Gholson is the executive director of the East Texas Water Institute, a new organization at SFA working to find water solutions for East Texas.

“It’s a finite resource,” Gholson said.

“Really focusing on the water resources here in East Texas through data collection, through applied research, through outreach and education and through regional collaboration,” Gholson said.

One of those outreaches is partnering with Angelina College to start a workforce program.

“There’s a big need for water workforce, workforce development, specifically water operators and water treatment,” Gholson said.

Future challenges

“What we can do is focus on East Texas and making sure that we understand a lot of those same things, whether that’s workforce development, or small water supply systems. Making sure we can supply that water. But understanding what water availability, both water quantity and quality,” Gholson said.

Gholson said ordinary East Texans can play their own role in water management.

“We’re all managers of this water, we’re all in this together. And then making sure we could come together and bring everyone to the table,” Gholson said.