FloridaWCA is pleased to invite nominations for the Rising Stars in Water and Climate Award! This award celebrates emerging leaders whose work advances innovative, equitable, and impactful solutions at the intersection of water, climate, sustainability, and resilience.  Through this recognition, FloridaWCA seeks to showcase exceptional early-career professionals, researchers, practitioners, and community leaders who are driving meaningful impact and shaping the future of water and climate science, policy, engineering, and practice. 

If you know of an exceptional early-career professional, researcher, practitioner, or community leader that deserves recognition, submit a nomination before the November 13 deadline.

Through a series of practitioner-driven “show and tell” case studies, presenters highlighted the use, challenges, and benefits of AI and other technological tools in the water and climate space. The webinar, which took place on June 26, 2026, featured over 100 participants learning how to responsibly and realistically use AI-enabled tools to support water and climate modeling, forecasting, planning, and management.

On March 10–11, 2026, the UF Water Institute, FloridaWCA, and partners brought together water managers, natural resource professionals, and climate scientists in Apopka, Florida for the first of two collaborative workshops under the Bridging the Gap project. Participants worked across sectors to identify shared challenges, research priorities, and opportunities to better integrate water resource management and ecosystem science in support of climate adaptation efforts across Florida.

Members of the Florida Water and Climate Alliance Steering Committee attended and built connections with other practitioners and scientists at the 2026 UF Water Institute Symposium on February 24–26, 2026. The Symposium provided an invaluable opportunity for FloridaWCA to exchange insights and expertise on pressing climate and water-related challenges facing our state. Our Steering Committee members engaged enthusiastically through various avenues including presentations, session moderation, panel discussions, outreach table display, and networking events.

The FloridaWCA community extends its deepest gratitude to Dr. Tracy Irani for her years of dedication, leadership, and partnership. Her vision and commitment have left an enduring legacy, and we wish her all the best as she embarks on this exciting new chapter. See more about her impact on FloridaWCA here.

The Florida Water and Climate Alliance (FloridaWCA) was excited to host this special 1-hour webinar highlighting the next generation of leaders in water and climate science. Over 55 attendees representing academia, utilities, government agencies, water management districts, local government, and private consulting joined the event which brought together a dynamic lineup of emerging voices—including graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and early-career professionals —who are shaping the future of water and climate resilience.

We are very excited to announce a new FloridaWCA cross-sector collaborative project! FloridaWCA members from the UF Water Insititute and Tampa Bay Water will work together with partners from UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station and the US Geological Survey to bring together scientists and resource managers to identify knowledge gaps and foster sustained, solutions-driven collaborations to tackle Florida’s water and ecosystem challenges. Funding by the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center will support a series of workshops to identify shared research and management priorities and co-develop a strategic roadmap for future collaborative action.

As variations in climate, population growth, policy changes, and competing water needs continue to pose challenges to water utilities, it is essential for utilities to think strategically and adopt resilient water infrastructure to ensure reliable and sustainable water and wastewater services for the communities they serve. This webinar explored innovative approaches to designing and implementing resilient water infrastructure and strategies including green infrastructure, constructed wetlands, advanced reclaimed water systems, leveraging real-time flood forecasting, and more!

The Florida Water& Climate Alliance welcomes Dr. Ricky Telg as a new member of its Steering Committee. Dr. Telg serves as a professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication and the director of the Center for Public Issues Education at the University of Florida. The Steering Committee is excited to work with Dr. Telg to fulfill the FloridaWCA mission.

Florida is at the forefront of impacts from changing climate, including sea levels, rainfall, and weather events such as hurricanes. Resiliency initiatives are vital to help communities adapt to these changes, safeguarding infrastructure, protecting natural resources, and fostering sustainable economic growth. This hybrid webinar/ workshop cohosted by FloridaWCA and the Florida Flood Hub was attended by 39 experts in person with over 120 others joining virtually for the featured presentations. Presenters highlighted the resiliency efforts across the state, with a deep dive into the collaborative work being done at the Flood Hub through their Sea Level Rise and Rainfall Workgroups.