The National Waterways Conference (NWC) was proud to host its 2025 Annual Meeting in Norfolk, Virginia. A post-meeting survey is available for attendees to share their feedback, helping us continue to improve and shape future conferences.

We extend our sincere gratitude to our sponsors and partners who made this year’s event possible:

• Local Host/Platinum Partner: Port of Virginia
• Titanium Partners: Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Freese and Nichols
• Gold Partners: Texas International Terminals and Tract
• Silver Partners: Tetra Tech, Trinity River Authority, and Virginia Maritime Association
• Bronze Partners: HDR, Inc., ICF, Tarrant Regional Water District, and San Joaquin Area Flood Control Agency
• Supporting Partners: Best Best and Krieger LLP, Black & Veatch, Moffatt & Nichol, Stanley Consultants, and Port of Memphis
• Branding Sponsor: CDM Smith

 We are deeply grateful to everyone who took part in this year’s meeting. Whether you served as a speaker, moderator, session contributor, or attendee, your engagement and willingness to share knowledge created the synergy that makes gatherings like this so valuable. It is through this exchange of perspectives that NWC continues to bring unique value to the water resources community.

Over three days, attendees gathered to exchange insights, tackle pressing challenges, and celebrate the strength of America’s water resources infrastructure community.  Below is a recap of the session highlights with available PowerPoints and resources.

CIVIL WORKS AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS: A STRATEGIC UPDATE FROM USACE

Major General Jason E. Kelly (Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) opened the meeting with moderator Mr. Tim Feather (CDM Smith) and Mr. Ben Bennett (CDM Smith) who introduced General Kelly, with a forward-looking address. In preparation for this session, NWC conducted a pre-meeting survey of attendees and shared results with USACE, and many of General Kelly’s talking points reflected those priorities. He emphasized the importance of maintaining existing infrastructure, modernizing through innovation, and enhancing project delivery. . General Kelly also underscored the Corps’ record of $200 billion in annual flood damage avoidance, the importance of interagency coordination, and USACE’s commitment to accountability and success.

USACE CIVIL WORKS: A NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE FROM HEADQUARTERS

Mr. Stephen Hill (Chief of Operations and Regulatory Programs, USACE) and Mr. Theodore “TAB” Brown (Chief, Programs Integration Division, USACE) joined moderator Mr. Chris Collins (Director, Waterways, Office of Multimodal Commerce, Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development) and delivered a national view from USACE Headquarters. Hill highlighted the promise of digital twin technology and called for faster adoption of readiness and innovation. He outlined four priority actions: rapid emergency response, pilot public-private partnerships, a joint USACE–NWC strategic plan using real-world operational data, and stronger procurement practices with clear accountability. Brown discussed how the Civil Works program has nearly doubled in scope and offered a candid assessment of budget constraints and the impact of continuing resolutions.

Resources:

• Operations and Regulatory Mission Set (Hill ppt)
• Civil Works Programs Integration Division Update to National Waterways Conference

USACE INSIGHTS FROM SENIOR DIVISION AND DISTRICT LEADERS

Moderated by Mr. Robert Sinkler (Northern Grain Belt Ports), Colonel Jesse T. Curry (Commander, North Atlantic Division, USACE), Colonel Sonny B. Avichal (Commander, Norfolk District, USACE), and Mr. Ravi Ajodah, SES, (Regional Programs Director, NAD), shared regional division and district perspectives. Col. Curry spoke on balancing military missions with recreation and navigation across the North Atlantic Division. Col. Avichal described Norfolk District’s 400-person workforce supporting the full USACE portfolio, from operating dams to maintaining the East Coast’s deepest channel at 55 feet, while working in close partnership with the Navy and local stakeholders. Mr. Ajodah discussed the different district headquarters, along with their district priorities.

Resources:

• North Atlantic Division Regional Update (Curry/Ajodah/Avichal ppt)

ADAPTING TO RISING WATERS: ADDRESSING SEA LEVEL RISE AND FLOODING IN HAMPTON ROADS

This panel featured Mr. Kyle Spencer (Chief Resilience Officer, City of Norfolk, VA) and Mr. Ben McFarlane (Chief Resilience Officer, Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, VA), moderated by Mr. Brad Pickel (Executive Director, Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association). The discussion examined sea level rise, land subsidence, and flooding in Hampton Roads, highlighting regional resilience strategies and collaborative efforts to protect local communities and national economic interests.

Resources:

• Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC): Coastal Resiliency Program
• Resilient Norfolk (City of Norfolk on resiliency, planning, flood mitigation)
• Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan
• HRPDC Study (Sea Level Rise & Storm Surge Impacts on Roadways)
• NOAA / Coastal Science Project – Transportation Resilience & Nature-Based Solutions in Hampton Roads

BREAKING THE BOTTLENECK: TACKLING COST OVERRUNS AND DELAYS

Moderated by and featuring speaker Mr. Lowry Crook (Partner, Best Best & Krieger LLP), alongside Mr. Scott Elmer (Assistant Director of Operations, Harris County Flood Control District, Texas) and Colonel Lars N. Zetterstrom (Ret., Vice President–Federal Program Manager, Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc.), this session explored the root causes of project delays and cost escalation. Crook emphasized the workforce transition at USACE, noting the loss of institutional knowledge and its effect on project sponsors. He pointed out that the biggest cost driver is when projects languish for years after authorization without funding. Elmer shared lessons from Clear Creek and Buffalo Bayou, underscoring the need to address uncertainty and complexity in infrastructure design better. Zetterstrom stressed chronic underfunding with project needs and the importance of alternative delivery models.

Resources:

• Data Driven: Using Analytics to Improve Project Delivery, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Engineer Magazine (July 2024).
• Audit of Cost Increases and Schedule Delays of Army Military Construction Projects Managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Report No. DODIG-2025-057, Jan. 2025)

TARIFFS AND THE ECONOMY

Dr. Vinod Agarwal (Professor of Economics, Old Dominion University, Va.) joined Mr. Cam Spencer (Director of Government Relations, Port Houston, Texas) as a moderator to discuss how tariffs, supply chains, and inflation are driving costs and delaying delivery. The session highlighted the broader economic context shaping navigation, flood control, and water supply projects.

Resources:

• Tariffs, Economy, and International Trade (Agarwal ppt)

PORT OF VIRGINIA: ENHANCING ALL HAZARDS RESPONSE

Mr. Bill Burket (Senior Director, Maritime Incident Response Team & Business Continuity, Virginia Port Authority) was joined by Lieutenant Commander Silvia P. Sigler (Chief of Emergency Management/Force Readiness, Sector Virginia, U.S. Coast Guard), to present outcomes from a Joint Port Recovery Exercise. The exercise simulated a 30-day closure of the Thimble Shoals Channel, underscoring the importance of unified command, interagency roles, and resource readiness.

Resources:

• Joint Port Recovery Executive Committee Tabletop Exercise (Burket/Sigler ppt)

AI AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE

Moderated by Mr. Tom Ray (Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam), this panel explored both the promise and the challenges of applying artificial intelligence in forecasting, monitoring, and project delivery. Dr. Jeff Sparks (Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Va.) described how AI is being used to predict flooding and strengthen system resilience for public utilities. Mr. Nick Kopczyk (Federal Digital Specialist, CDM Smith) highlighted ways to bridge the gap between generative AI potential and practical adoption in federal projects. Ms. Jennifer Thomason (Tract) discussed how AI is influencing infrastructure planning and underscored the importance of the physical and digital systems needed to support these tools. Dr. Ricardo Ungo (Professor of Economics, Old Dominion University, Va.) offered an economic and strategic view of how digitalization and AI are reshaping water management. Together, the panelists provided a wide-ranging look at where AI is already producing results and what is required to realize its full potential.

Resources:

• Bridging the GenAI Divide (Kopczyk ppt)
• AI and Emerging Tech in Water Infrastructure, What it Powers, What it Demands, and Where is it Going (Thomason ppt)
• 60,000-Foot Overview: AI Applications and Digitalization (Ungo ppt)
• White House Office of Science & Technology Policy – National AI Initiative
• Smart Water Security with AI and Blockchain-Enhanced Digital Twins

GETTING IT DONE: PERMITTING, PROJECT DELIVERY, AND FLOOD RESILIENCE

Moderated by Mr. Scott Elmer (Assistant Director of Operations, Harris County Flood Control District, Texas) and Ms. Karin Jacoby (Partner, Husch Blackwell LLP), this session featured Mr. Darren Suen (Executive Director, San Joaquin Area Flood Control Agency, Calif.), Mr. John Coalter Baker (Executive Director, Gulf Coast Protection District, Texas), and Ms. Sunny Simpkins (Executive Director, National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies). Presenters shared case studies on local project delivery, emphasizing the challenges of permitting coordination, flood resilience, and agency buy-in.

Resources:

• NAFSMA on Getting it Done (Simpkins ppt)
• Gulf Coast Protection District (Baker ppt)
• San Joaquin Area Flood Control Agency (SJAFCA)
• Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council / FAST-41)

ROTATING WORLD TABLE TALKS ON INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES AND INNOVATIONS

NWC piloted a new “World Table Talk” session that proved to be one of the highlights of the Annual Meeting. Six USACE leaders – Mr. Stephen Hill (Chief of Operations and Regulatory Programs), Mr. Theodore “TAB” Brown (Chief, Programs Integration Division), Ms. Tiffany Burroughs (Chief of Navigation), Mr. Aaron Snyder (Director, Corps Water Infrastructure Financing Program), Mr. Douglas Stamper (Navigation Program Manager, North Atlantic Division), and Mr. Keith Lockwood (Chief, Water Resources Division, Norfolk District) – rotated from table to table every 10 to 12 minutes.

Each table hosted 10 to 14 participants from across the Corps’ business lines, and conversations were driven entirely by the speakers’ expertise and the questions participants brought forward. Topics ranged widely, but the common thread was genuine dialogue and more “talking with.”

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Participants valued the chance to engage directly with USACE in a smaller, more personal setting, and many requested that the session be repeated in future meetings, ideally earlier in the program when new connections and relationships are just beginning to form. Formal presentations will always have their place, but this format created space for candid exchange, cross-cutting conversations, and real relationship-building – exactly the type of engagement NWC seeks to foster with USACE and across business lines.

PLEASE PERMIT ME: IMPORTANT CHANGES TO NEPA AND FEDERAL PERMITTING

Moderated by Mr. Steven Burns (Partner, Balch & Bingham LLP), this session featured Mr. Michael Creswell (Senior Counsel, Jones Fortuna LLP), Mr. William “Tom” Walker (Acting Chief, Regulatory Program, USACE), and Mr. Rich Walter (Vice President – Environmental Planning, ICF). Panelists discussed recent changes to NEPA and other reforms, focusing on their impacts on project timelines, approvals, and compliance obligations.

Resources:

• Key Changes in NEPA in 2025 (Walter ppt)
• Judicial Review and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Congressional Research Service (Sept. 2025)

WALKING TOUR: NORFOLK COASTAL STORM RISK MANAGEMENT PROJECT

The picture above captures the brave souls who joined the walking tour of the Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) project footprint, hosted by the City of Norfolk. Attendees braved the warm temperatures, sustained by water, snacks, and even ice cream thoughtfully provided along the way.

A special shout-out to Mr. Kyle Spencer (Chief Resilience Officer, City of Norfolk) and his staff, who led a stellar tour. Kyle walked participants through areas of existing flood control infrastructure, explaining how it currently functions and what changes are planned under the CSRM project. He painted a clear picture of how new storm surge barriers, levees, and pump stations will integrate with what’s already in place, and what those upgrades will mean for the surrounding communities.

For many, seeing the footprint in person – and hearing directly from the City’s resilience team – made the scale and significance of the project far more tangible than slides or renderings ever could. It was a memorable highlight of the Annual Meeting and an invaluable look at how Norfolk is adapting to rising waters.

THANK YOU!

NWC extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us in Norfolk. Your presence, engagement, and insights made this Annual Meeting a success.

Looking ahead, mark your calendars: registration for the 2026 Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C., co-hosted with the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, will open in November. The Summit will take place March 9–11, 2026 at The Hamilton (600 14^th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005).

Recognized for our timely and provocative programs, the NWC Annual Meeting (held in the fall) features knowledgeable and articulate participants and keynoters. Speakers have included Cabinet officials, Governors, and Congressional and industry leaders. In addition to the informative presentations and panel discussions, the meeting offers numerous opportunities for networking.