Alumnus to speak Jan. 22 on managing water resources

Tom Loranger of the Washington State Department of Ecology will discuss water resources management in Washington as part of Western Washington University’s Huxley College of the Environment Speaker Series at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 22, in Communications Facility Room 120 on the Western Washington University campus.

The presentation is free and open to the public.

Water management in Washington state is governed by water laws that are well suited to protect water usage, but are less flexible when it comes to meeting the state’s diverse water needs. Disparate groups currently compete for Washington’s water resources, including our rapidly growing populace; the sustainable agriculture community; and the sport, commercial, and tribal fishing communities. In his talk titled “Western Water Laws and Resource Management,” Tom will discuss current challenges and successes in managing the water resources needs of these diverse groups.

Tom received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Environmental Science from Western in 1982 and 1986 respectively. For more than two decades, he has worked at the Department of Ecology, where he served as the agency’s representative for salmon recovery and watershed planning to the Lower Columbia Region. He is currently the manager of the Water Resources Program.

The presentation will include a question-and-answer period. Anyone interested in the topic is encouraged to attend and participate. The Huxley College Speaker Series is intended to bring together environmentally-minded members of the WWU and Bellingham communities. Speakers address topics of contemporary environmental concern in the region and the world.
Western’s Huxley College of the Environment is one of the oldest environmental colleges in the nation and a recognized leader in producing the next generation of environmental professionals and stewards. Huxley’s distinctive, interdisciplinary curriculum reflects a broad view of the physical, biological, social, and cultural world, and has earned international recognition for quality.

For more information, please contact Western’s Huxley College of the Environment at 360-650-2554.