BI-ANNUAL CONFLUENCE SERIES
Areas of Houston are redeveloping and the region continues to plan for more frequent and intense storm events. As urban areas grow and change the question becomes: how do we protect our neighborhoods and give people meaningful access to recreation and green space?
This fall, Confluence turns its focus to the infrastructure already doing this work, and asks how we build on it.
Open by Design: Maximizing Houston's Urban Drainage Systems explores how Houston's drainage infrastructure, the systems designed to move water through our city, can be maximized during redevelopment to serve both stormwater management and the communities that surround it. Drawing from real Houston case studies, the program brings together practitioners from across Houston's design, planning, and conservation community for a cross-sector morning of insights and dialogue.
Houston has already built drainage infrastructure worth learning from. This program is about recognizing that work and asking what comes next as our city continues to grow.
Featured Speaker
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Ed Pettitt, President, Friends of Columbia Tap
Panelists
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Daniel Millikin, Executive Director, Willow Waterhole Greenspace Conservancy
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Christopher Sims, Executive Director of Development Services for the City of League City
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Daniel Rodriguez, Chief Operations Officer, Harris County Precinct 4, Commissioner Lesley Briones Office
Moderated by
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Christopher Browne, LEED AP, Bayou Preservation Association Executive Committee
What to Expect
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A featured presentation on community impact and the human story behind Houston’s drainage spaces
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A moderated panel discussion with Houston case study representatives
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A Coffee & Bites Mixer from 9 to 10 AM for partners, speakers, and Premium guests
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Cross-sector networking with professionals shaping Houston’s built and natural environment
Continuing Education Credits
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This event is approved for:1.50 CM credits from the American Planning Association
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1.50 Learning Units for professionals seeking Continuing Education
Thank you to our 2026 partners and supporters for making this conversation possible.
Watershed Guardian
LESLEY SUSAN HILL
Bayou Innovator
Tributary Supporter
AECOM | Asakura Robinson
PAST SYMPOSIUM SERIES
This year’s Confluence Spring Series – Where Ideas and Practice Meet will spotlight Exploration Green, a leading Houston-area example of how nature-based infrastructure is improving water quality, strengthening flood resilience, and shaping vibrant community spaces.
Centered on a real-world case study, the program brings together voices from design, implementation, and stewardship to explore how projects evolve from initial concept to long-term performance.
Through a featured presentation and moderated panel discussion, attendees will gain practical insights into how stormwater management strategies and ongoing monitoring translate into measurable environmental and community outcomes.
Featured Speaker
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Michael Robinson, PLA, ASLA, Principal — SWA Group
Panelists
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David Sharp — Chairman, Exploration Green Conservancy
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Thomas Morrow — President, Board of Directors, Clear Lake City Water Authority
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Christie Taylor — Green Infrastructure for Texas Program Leader, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
What to Expect
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A real-world Houston case study grounded in practice
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Insights across design, implementation, and long-term stewardship
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A cross-disciplinary conversation connecting ideas to measurable performance
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Opportunities to engage with professionals shaping resilient systems
Thank you to our organizing partners for helping shape this year's program: Harris County Flood Control District, Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, the Office of the County Engineer, AECOM, EHRA Engineering, the Environmental Institute of Houston, and Resource Environmental Solutions.
Continuing Education CreditsThis event is approved for:
1.50 CM credits from the American Planning Association
1.50 Learning Units for professionals seeking Continuing Education
Confluence is made possible by the generous support of our 2026 partners — thank you for investing in the conversations that move this work forward.
RISE AND SHINE COFFEE & BITES UNDERWRITER:
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WATERSHED GUARDIAN
LESLEY SUSAN HILL
BAYOU INNOVATOR
TRIBUTARY SUPPORTER
Linda and David Knowles
Talley Landscape Architects, Inc.
Cindy and David Fitch
Confluence: Where Ideas and Practice Meet
2025 Fall Symposium Series
This fall, Confluence: Where Ideas and Practice Meet returns with a timely focus on the powerful intersections of mobility, ecology, and equity through its 2025 theme, The Space Between: Designing Corridors for Connection and Purpose.
As cities face growing challenges, from climate adaptation to infrastructure and public health, this year’s program reimagines linear landscapes like greenways, trails, and easements as multi-functional community assets that connect people, protect ecosystems, and strengthen neighborhoods.
From walkability and transit access to stormwater management and native habitat restoration, The Space Between invites attendees to explore how thoughtful design can create resilient systems that unify mobility, ecology, and equity across Houston and beyond.
The morning will begin with welcoming remarks by Jack Fitch, Project Manager at Resource Environmental Solutions.
Featured Presentation
Cassie Hoeprich, Director of Planning & Economic Development, Downtown Houston+
Moderated Panel Discussion
Moderated by Christopher Browne, LEED, AP, Vice President, EHRA Engineering
A lively panel discussion and audience Q&A will follow.
Panelists:
Lisa Graiff, Senior Projects Manager, Houston Parks Board
Ethan Beeson, District Landscape Architect & ISA Certified Arborist, Texas Department of Transportation, Houston District
Kelli Ondracek, Natural Resources Manager, Houston Parks and Recreation Department
Special Guests:
Justin Bower, Director of Community and Environmental Planning, Houston-Galveston Area Council
Johana E. Clark, P.E., PTOE, ENV SP, Deputy City Engineer, Houston Public Works
Organizing partners this year are the Environmental Institute of Houston, EHRA Engineering, Harris County Flood Control District, Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, and Resource Environmental Solutions.
A big thank you to our incredible sponsors for their generous support:
WATERSHED GUARDIAN
BAYOU INNOVATOR
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TRIBUTARY SUPPORTER
AECOM | Lesley Susan Hill | Rely Foundation
Confluence: Where Ideas and Practice Meet
2025 Spring Symposium Series
We’re excited to return this spring with our in-person format, continuing the fresh, focused approach introduced last fall. Confluence: Where Ideas and Practice Meet delivers a streamlined agenda designed to provide attendees with a meaningful, high-impact experience.
This year’s theme, The Groundwork for Tomorrow: Soil, Growth, and Resilience, initiates a timely conversation around how we balance Houston’s rapid development with the need to preserve soil health, support biodiversity, and plan for long-term ecological vitality.
The morning will begin with welcoming remarks by Veronica Osegueda, Deputy General Manager of the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District.
Featured Speakers:
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Jason Radcliff, PLA, ASLA, CDT
Principal, Director of Technical Design, TBG Partners
Jason will explore why soil health matters—diving into the diversity of our region’s unique soils, the challenges they face, and their essential role in resilient ecosystems and clean water. From material life cycles to local conservation solutions, he will illuminate how small, intentional efforts can contribute to a healthier Houston.
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Jack Fitch
Project Manager, RES
Jack will discuss building resilient systems through ecological restoration. He will concentrate on projects he has managed in urban settings for erosion control, stormwater conveyance, and native revegetation.
Moderated Forum:
Led by Christopher Browne, LEED AP, Vice President, EHRA Engineering. A dynamic audience Q&A and speaker exchange will conclude the program.
Special Guests (VIP Coffee & Bites Mixer):
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Dr. Tina Petersen, Executive Director, Harris County Flood Control District
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Audrey Jones, Conservation Planner, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board
Organizing partners this year are EHRA Engineering, Harris County Flood Control District, and Harris-Galveston Subsidence District.
A big thank you to our incredible sponsors for their generous support:
WATERSHED GUARDIAN
BAYOU INNOVATOR
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TRIBUTARY SUPPORTER
All Things Bees Texas | Cindy and David Fitch
GSI Environmental Inc
Confluence: Where Ideas and Practice Meet
2024 Fall Symposium Series
After more than 20 years of hosting our Annual Symposium, we are thrilled to return to an in-person format with a fresh, focused approach. This year’s event, Confluence: Where Ideas and Practice Meet, will feature a streamlined agenda designed to provide a more impactful and engaging experience.
Attendees will have the opportunity to earn 1.5 Learning Units toward their Continuing Education requirements while exploring essential topics such as green infrastructure, low-impact development, conservation, and sustainable growth.
Event Highlights:
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Coffee & Bites Networking Mixer
Exclusive to sponsors and VIPs | 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Connect with special guests:
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M. Sonny Garza, Vice Chair of the Houston Planning Commission
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Rudy Moreno, Jr., Deputy Director of the Houston Permitting Center
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Symposium Kick-Off
Veronica Osegueda, Deputy General Manager of the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, will officially welcome attendees with opening remarks.
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Moderated Forum
Led by Christopher Browne, LEED AP, Vice President at EHRA, this forum will feature discussions with regional experts:
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Carolyn White, CERP, CPESC, ENV-SP, Resilience Manager at Harris County Flood Control District
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Andy Newman, PWS, Chief Ecologist at The Earth Partners
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Together, they will engage a diverse audience of professionals and practitioners in a stimulating and educational session.
Organizing partners this year are the Houston Public Works, EHRA Engineering, and Harris County Flood Control District.
A big thank you to our underwriters and sponsors for their generous support:
RISE AND SHINE COFFEE & BITES UNDERWRITER
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STREAM INNOVATOR
BAYOU INNOVATOR
TRIBUTARY SUPPORTER
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Missed our 20th Annual 2023 Coastal Watershed Symposium, "Balancing Growth, Conservation, and Preservation"? No worries! You can catch DAY ONE by clicking the video above.
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Missed our 20th Annual 2023 Coastal Watershed Symposium, "Balancing Growth, Conservation, and Preservation"? No worries! You can catch DAY TWO by clicking the video above.
Experience our 2022 19th Annual Symposium, "The Cost of Doing Nothing - Opting for Resilience." Click the video above to watch DAY ONE.
Experience our 2022 19th Annual Symposium, "The Cost of Doing Nothing - Opting for Resilience." Click the video above to watch DAY ONE.
Experience the enlightening presentation from the 18th Annual Symposium: "Green, In a Word, Is Good." Click on the video above to watch DAY ONE.
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Experience the enlightening presentation from the 18th Annual Symposium: "Green, In a Word, Is Good." Click on the video above to watch DAY TWO.