Anba Dlo (pronounced “Ahnbah Dlo”) is Haitian Kreyol for “beneath the waters”, acknowledging and honoring the importance of water in our lives. This year our theme is Levee, Levee, Levee, borrowed from a sacred Haitian Kreyol song meaning, “wake up!” As our panelists focus on the national and local relationships to the importance of water, especially that of the Mississippi River regarding our coastline, the exclamation Levee, Levee, Levee has never seemed so urgent. To ensure this dialogue is continued the Water Symposium will be recorded by NPR and aired in vignettes about the importance of the Louisiana coastline. Bruno Steiner will also be recording and air the discussion on his show Category Five: Wetlands Watch. Please join us to participate in this free and public discussion of what comes next for our coastline.
Moderator: Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Marshall
Panel One 12:00 - 1:50 pm: Got Water? How the Future Belongs to Those Who Have Water, or Who Can Get Their Hands on It
Speakers: Joe Evans, Mark Davis, David Waggoner, Robert Tannen & Don Blancher
Topic: Panel one will focus on the emerging competition for water among states as local fresh water supplies diminish. The need for large scale water shed rehabilitation efforts has become clear as a result of the decline of coastal Louisiana, the Everglades, the San Francisco Bay Delta, and other ecosystems. These efforts reframe the need for water and the public benefits at stake from water resource management. The threat of climate change and sea level rise add complexity and urgency to the water resource stewardship challenge; bringing West Coast scale water shortages to the East Coast, in addition to threatening the long-term viability of entire cities and regions.
Break 1:50 - 2:10pm Light lunch, first come first serve
Panel Two 2:10 - 4:00pm: Making Decisions about the Future of the Mississippi River: the coast, our economy and society
Speakers: Denise Reed, David Muth, Carlton Dufrechou, Steve Cochran, Kirk Rhinehart, John Ettinger & Karen Gautreaux
Topic: Panel two will discuss a path forward for our coastal system and address the consequences of redirecting the Mississippi River on the environment, economy and society. While the Mississippi River is one of our greatest economic assets it is also our primary tool for coastal sustainability. We will outline the options for coastal sustainability and their multiple effects over time. A panel of scientists and community leaders will discuss how similar decisions have been made in other cases, as well as what types of information and decision processes can be implemented in deciding the future of our coast.