September 16-18, 2015 in Little Rock,  Arkansas

NWC’s 55^th Annual Meeting in Little Rock a Resounding Success

With 1800 miles of navigable waterways along five rivers, Arkansas is third in the nation in the number of inland waterway miles.  The Mighty Mississippi River, forming the eastern border of the state, is the main trade corridor for goods produced in the northern part of the United States, while the Arkansas, Ouachita, Red and White Rivers also serve important transportation routes to gateway ports near the Gulf of Mexico.  In addition, the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, the largest civil works project ever undertaken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the time of its opening, has numerous flood control projects, hydroelectric power plants, and soil conservation and recreational areas.

A sell-out crowd converged in Little Rock to hear from top Federal officials and industry experts about the multiple benefits Arkansas’ water resources bring to the region and the nation.  After the conference program, attendees enjoyed a festive evening at the Clinton Presidential Library, where Walt Coleman, a fifth generation Arkansas dairy farmer and National Football League referee, reminded everyone, in his inimitable style, that when it comes to life, it’s not just about winning or losing, it’s about playing by the rules and being confident in how you “call the game.”

Download 2015 Final Agenda (PDF-147KB)

Presentations for Download

Focus on Waterways, Ports and Intermodal Connectors (1,577KB) Lauren Brand, Associate Administrator of Intermodal System Development, Maritime Administration

Click the link to MARAD’s website to view the StrongPorts videos 

Arkansas Waterways Commission (13,523KB) Gene Higginbotham, Executive Director, Arkansas Waterways Commission

Building Sustainable Partnerships (887KB) Major General Donald E. Jackson, Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Bridging the Infrastructure Gap (1,603KB) Jill Jamieson, Managing Director, JLL

Sparta Aquifer Recovery (7,426KB) Sherrel Johnson, Project Coordinator, Union County Water Conservation Board

Civil Works Program Highlights (1,220KB) Mark L. Mazzanti, Chief Programs Integration Division, Civil Works Directorate, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Securing Water for Southwest Missouri’s Future (6,820KB) Gail Melgren, Executive Director, Tri-State Water Resource Coalition

Staying Relevant in the 21st Century (2,556KB) Steven L. Stockton, Director of Civil Works, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Perspectives on Critical Water Resources Issues (2,201KB) Julie Ufner, Assistant Legislative Director, Environment, Energy and Land Use, National Association of Counties

Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (1,689KB) Roy Wright, Deputy Associate Administrator for Insurance and Mitigation, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S.Department of Homeland Security

Thank You to Our 2015 Annual Meeting Sponsors 

Diamond

Iowa Corn Growers Association

Emerald

Arkansas Waterways Association

Platinum

Arkansas Waterways Commission

CDM Smith

Tarrant Regional Water District

Riceland Foods, Inc.

Gold

Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company

Ingram Barge Company

Little Rock Convention & Visitor’s Bureau

Little Rock Port Authority

Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel Company

Port of Memphis

Port of New Orleans

Red River Waterway Commission

Tetra Tech

Trinity River Authority of Texas

Silver

Arkansas-Oklahoma Port Operators Association

Arkansas Rice Council

Halff Associates, Inc.

Jantran

Logistic Services, Inc. / SSA Marine

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP

MarTREC

Oakley Barge Line

Oakley’s Port 33

Oklahoma Department of Transportation

Soy Transportation Coalition

The Celtic Group

Bronze

Advantus Strategies, LLC

Agriculture Council of Arkansas

AGRIServices of Brunswick

Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands

Five Rivers Distribution/Port of Fort Smith & Van Buren

Freese and Nichols, Inc.

Rosedale-Bolivar County Port

Simmons Bank

Tulsa Port of Catoosa

Velasco Drainage District