ALT Title reads: Oklahoma Governor's Water Conference and Research Symposium. Abstracts submissions are due October 16, 2026, by 5 p.m. Due Next Week. OWRB logo. OWRC logo.

ALT Title reads: Master Urban Irrigator: Why You Should Be One. A master urban irrigator knows: how water is used in urban and suburban landscapes and how to use that water more efficiently. Why it matters: 30% of household water is used outdoors and more than 50% of water used is lost from residential irrigation due to evaporation and more. Improved irrigation practices is one of the most effective ways to conserve water and protect resources. What you'll learn: efficient system design and maintenance, smart tech and soil moisture sensors, scheduling and water budgeting, soil health and runoff control, rainwater and stormwater use, responsible fertilizer and pesticide use. Benefits: save water (potential 20-50% with smart practices), improve landscape health and drought resilience, and prevent runoff, erosion, and water quality issues. Partnering agencies: OSU Master Urban Irrigator logo, OWRC logo, and OSU Oklahoma County Extension logo.

ALT Title reads: When Day Turned to Night. Remembering Black Sunday. Black Sunday, one of the Dust Bowl's worst storms, hit the Okla. Panhandle hard, hurling dry topsoil into the air, turning daylight to darkness in minutes. Why it happened: Severe drought dried out land, native grasses removed, leaving soil exposed, and strong winds carried topsoil. Black Sunday taught us the need for soil conservation, need for improved land management and need for long-term management. Our RegenAg project explores how regenerative, such as cover crops, effect water infiltration, quality and runoff – aimed at the sustainability of cotton production in Southern Great Plains. OWRC logo.