Drought Contingency Planning for the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer - Water Resource Management and Tribal Collaboration

Learn about drought contingency planning through a webinar focused on the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer, the sole drinking water source for the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations in Oklahoma. Explore how tribal nations and water managers developed strategies to address climate variability, growing water demands, and funding limitations threatening the aquifer's long-term sustainability. Discover practical approaches for drought response and mitigation, including monitoring lake levels, springflow measurements, and meteorological drought indicators. Gain valuable insights from presenter Barney Austin of Aqua Strategies as he shares transferable lessons from the successful implementation of drought management practices, water reuse initiatives, and the critical collaboration between tribal nations and local stakeholders. Examine specific case studies from the Chickasaw National Recreation Area and East Central University in Ada, OK, while understanding how structured dialogue and comprehensive planning helped create both mid-term and long-term adaptation strategies for water resource management.