Philip Taucer, PE, Associate, Water Resources Planning, Freese and Nichols, Inc.
philip.taucer@freese.com | 713-600-6835 | Organization Website
Philip has worked in long-range water supply planning and integrated planning in the
upper Texas coast and surrounding regions for 17 years. He and his team support public
entities, state agencies, and industries in projection of water needs, evaluation
of supply strategies, hydrologic analysis, supply modeling, permitting, conservation
and drought planning, and supply accounting. He holds a degree in Biological and Agricultural
Engineering from Texas A&M University. Outside of work, he enjoys farming and hiking
with his family.
Hitting the Trail: The Long Path for Future Water Management
Water is a vital resource for all aspects of our society, yet it often goes unnoticed
in the background… until it doesn’t. Integrated planning accounts for all aspects
of the water cycle involving elements of both supply and flood protection and aims
to avoid disaster that can come from either the lack (droughts) or overabundance (floods)
of water. Recent and ongoing efforts in southeast Texas have provided great insight
into the future of water management within the region. The ongoing efforts of the
Harris-Galveston and Fort Bend Subsidence Districts aim to effectively manage groundwater
resources in a way that provides adequate, reliable supplies while preventing land
subsidence that contributes to flooding and infrastructure failure. Their scientific
investigation and review of regulatory policy will shape the availability of groundwater
within the region. This is an integral part of the Region H Regional Water Plan which
will be completed in 2025. This plan identifies water needs and potential water management
strategies that will be required through the year 2080. Similarly, the recent State
Flood Plan identified flood risk and mitigatory projects for the entirety of the state,
including flood management for Houston and southeast Texas. All of these processes
take a long-term perspective on water management in order to account for the long
cycles of planning, design, and construction required to bring critical infrastructure
online. Participation in these efforts by all stakeholders, including industry and
the public sector, are essential for ensuring a bright future for our valuable resources.
Speaker Presentation slides