2026 Eastern South Dakota Water Conference Agenda

Balancing Economic Development with South Dakota Water Resources

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026

McCrory Gardens Education and Visitor Center
631 22nd Ave., Brookings, SD 57006

TimeSession
8-9 a.m.Registration
9-9:10 a.m.Welcome – Ryan Lefers, South Dakota Water Resources Institute
9:10-9:30 a.m.2050 Water Demand Outlook, Jared McEntaffer, Dakota Institute
9:30-9:50 a.m.Water as a Competitive Advantage: Innovative Industrial Strategies for Managing Water Scarcity and Reducing Environmental Footprint, Rachel Kloos, ISG
9:50-10:10 a.m.Watershed Opportunities for Tomorrow: Utilizing the NRCS Watershed Operations Program, Daniel Ostrem, South Dakota Natural Resources Conservation Service
10:10-10:30 a.m.Break
10:30-11 a.m.One River, One Region? The Missouri Valley Authority vs. The Pick Sloan Plan, Bryce Tellmann, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
11-11:20 a.m.The Mighty Missouri: An Overview of River Management and Water Rights, Jay Gilbertson, East Dakota Water Development District
11:20-11:40 a.m.One River, Many Ideas: Finding Common Cause in the Missouri River Basin, Darrell Rasche, Upper Missouri Water Association
11:40 a.m.-noonSouth Dakota’s Water in Context: Agriculture, Natural Resources and Economic Development, Ryan Lefers, South Dakota Water Resources Institute
Noon-1 p.m.Lunch
1-1:20 p.m.Keeping Water on the Landscape: A Path Toward Agricultural Economic and Environmental Resilience, Chuck Brandel, ISG
1:20-1:40 p.m.Riparian Buffer Initiative, Nate Anderson, South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources
1:40-2 p.m.No-Rise, No-Project? The Economic Impact of Floodplain Management, Kyle Werning, Houston Engineering Inc.
2-2:20 p.m.Streamflow Prediction in the Missouri River Basin, Stu Geza, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
2:20-2:40 p.m.Break
2:40-3 p.m.The South Dakota Mesonet: Total Water Monitoring, Nathan Edwards, Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ
3-3:20 p.m.From Availability to Deliverability: Turning a Regional Water Source Into a Reliable Supply, Clinton Powell, Pinpoint Corporation
3:20-3:40 p.m.Water Priorities in South Dakota: What Residents Know, Value and Expect, Sushant Mehan, Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ
3:40-3:50 p.m.Closing Remarks
Contact Us
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South Dakota Water Resources Institute
Physical Address
1030 N Campus Dr.
Brookings, SD 57007
Mailing Address
SRPA 111, Box 2100
Brookings, SD 57007
Hours
Mon - Fri: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.