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The 2021–22 AEG/GSA Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer
from Program with Abstracts, Volume 65, Number 4
by Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG)
In Southern Nevada, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), the region’s wholesale water provider, and its member agencies have been reducing demands since drought effects were first realized in the early 2000s. For the past twenty years, Southern Nevada has reshaped how the community grew and continues to rewrite its future and to reduce the impacts of drought and climate change on water supplies and facilities through securing infrastructure, diversifying water resources, and reducing demands through a comprehensive water conservation program.
As the southwestern United States moves into the next decade and beyond, unprecedented changes will continue to occur, within municipalities and agriculture, to help secure one of the desert’s most precious resources.
Richard M. (Rick) Wooten
2021–22 AEG/GSA Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer – Richard M. Wooten, PG News from Jahns Lecture Trail: Applied Geology Is More Important Now Than Ever
I cannot say thank you enough to all the AEG Chapters, GSAEEGD members, geological surveys, and university students and faculty members. From the Pacific Northwest to South Carolina, and many places in between, everyone’s warm welcome and hospitality have made my tenure as a Richard B. Jahns lecturer a rewarding and humbling experience. A positive outcome of our collective COVID experience is the everyday use of technology for virtual, and in-person/virtual lectures. It has been a distinct privilege to connect with the network of committed geoscience professionals, faculty, and students who are enthusiastic about their work and education, and to take part in many meaningful discussions on the challenges and opportunities we all face in reducing losses from landslides and other geohazards. My hope is that I have been able to honor the legacy of Richard Jahns and instill the importance of applied geology in the public interest at a time when it is more relevant than ever as we all face challenges in adapting to climate change.
My presentation will highlight topics covered during the Jahns’ lecture series. These themes include interconnecting geoscience, weather and climate, and history in landslide hazard studies; using drones and lidar in emergency landslide responses and hazard mapping; building multi-disciplinary partnerships in applied geology and research; communicating with stakeholders; and, the challenges and opportunities we encounter in building geohazards programs. With the commitment of students, faculty, and professionals in the geoscience community, I am confident that with the use of new technology and the implementation of the National Landslide Preparedness Act we will continue to make progress towards reducing losses from landslides.
