Specialty Group

Water Resources

The Water Resources Specialty group provides its membership with services that enhance professional opportunities to communicate research progress and results within the professional community and to announce events and discuss major developments in the fields of water resources.

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Geography Essentials, Living within Ecosystems

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The AAG has 75 specialty and affinity groups, which offer members valuable networking opportunities within their areas of interest. To join one of these groups, you must be an AAG member.

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Dues

Regular: $10
Student: $1

Leadership

[email protected]

Chair: Yolanda J. McDonald, Vanderbilt University

Secretary-Treasurer: Sarah Praskievicz, University of North Carolina Greensboro

Directors:

  • Tamee Albrecht, Colorado State University
  • Leah Jones-Crank, University of Waterloo

Student Directors

  • Andrew Adams, Texas State University, Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
  • Mike Hanson, Northern Arizona University

Immediate Past Chair: Denielle Perry, Northern Arizona University

 

Awards
Olen Paul Matthews and Kathleen A. Dwyer Fund for Water Resources

This award recognizes human or physical geography research projects that influence water policy or decision-making. Specifically, this includes work that addresses critical challenges and barriers to successful implementation of water policy research at a local, regional, national or international level.

The awardee agrees to submit a 3- to 5-page report (references do not count towards page limit) summarizing the funded project, including a budget narrative. They also must show activity supported by the award within one year of award receipt.

Applicants must be current members of AAG and membership in the Water Resources Specialty Group is strongly encouraged. Ph.D. students, post-doctoral, faculty and university researchers, and practitioners working at non-governmental organizations or government agencies are eligible to submit.

WRSG Student Awards

The Water Resources Specialty Group offers student awards in the following categories: Research Papers, Research Presentations, Research Proposals and JEDI Research Proposals.

Applicants must be enrolled full-time in a geography undergraduate or graduate degree program at the time of application submission and be a current member of AAG and the WRSG. The submission should represent original work by the student and cannot be submitted to another AAG Specialty Group competition. Presentations should be submitted by the AAG Abstract deadline. For paper and presentation awards, the research must be presented at the Annual AAG Meeting for the award cycle in which the submission occurred.

For deadlines and submission details, please contact the specialty group awards chair.

 

Sponsored sessions
Untapped: Fresh Voices in Water Resources Geography

Managing water for human and ecosystem needs is a pressing global challenge in the 21st Century. As a changing climate increases water management challenges, a new generation of water resource professionals and researchers are needed to address grand water challenges through innovative, adaptive, and transformative research, ideas, and action. This session is designed to promote the participation and engagement of students and early career professionals in water resources geography. Presentation topics are expected to be broad in scope and can be in various stages of completion (e.g., research proposal development and/or preliminary data analysis).

We strongly encourage undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral candidates at any phase of their research to participate in the session. Early career professionals, including postdoctoral researchers, interested in communicating their work to academic audiences are also welcome. This session will foster a welcoming environment and communication platform for students and early career scholars in water resources geography.

The WRSG sponsors and organizes the Untapped sessions annually. Please reach out to the board if you are interested in presenting.

 

Webinar Series

The WRSG sponsors and produces a webinar series throughout the year. Invited speakers share their research and insights and engage in discussion with members. Please find registration links via regular announcements or within the Knowledge Community or Newsletter.

OneWater (2024-25)

This webinar series features research engaging the One Water concept, a holistic approach to water resources management. As a multi- and inter-disciplinary group of scholars, our memberships’ research spans the multi-dimensional, coupled human-environment systems that underpin the concept of One Water. We welcome research emphasizing that water has value in all its forms and uses. It is a shared resource that myriad stakeholders must manage to ensure just access, quality, and affordability through sustainable practices.

 

Publication Opportunities

The WRSG is working with several journals to create opportunities for members to publish their work. Our first endeavor is well-underway, and we look forward to the publication of a Focus Section in The Professional Geographer, featuring research from our members, in 2025. We are excited to present an additional opportunity to be announced later in 2025 for publication in 2026! Please keep an eye out for the announcement via the Knowledge Community and Newsletter.