Thirteen free public lectures that begin in January at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will examine wide-ranging local to international water and climate change issues.
     "One of our goals this spring is to expose lecture attendees to some of the most provocative speakers on issues ranging from future water use policy here in the Great Plains and invasive species concerns in our own Republican River basin to perspectives on international concerns over global climate change and drought policy," said UNL Water Center assistant director Lorrie Benson.
     One of the series speakers is Jasper Fanning, who will open the series on Jan.16.
     Lectures are 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. (CT)each Wednesday, except March 19. With the exception of the series' second lecture on Jan. 23, all will be in the first floor auditorium of Hardin Hall, on the northeast corner of 33rd and Holdrege streets, UNL East Campus. The Jan. 23 lecture will be at the Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q St., Hewit Place, Lincoln.
     Fanning, general manager of the Upper Republican Natural Resources District, Imperial, opens the series with an examination of the economic implications of meeting interstate compact obligations with Colorado and Kansas on use of Republican River water.
     Other lectures emphasizing state and local topics include a talk Feb. 6 on managing invasive species by New Mexico State University extension educator Keith Duncan and a Feb. 20 review of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program by Jerry Kenny.
     Kathleen Miller, National Center for Atmospheric Research, concludes the series on April 16 as the Kremer Memorial lecturer speaking on climate change effects on future uncertainty for water resources.
     Her talk honors the memory of the late state senator Maurice Kremer of Aurora, who authored groundbreaking water and natural resources legislation in the 1960's and 1970's.
     Jeff Lazo, also of NCAR, gives one of the series' two Williams Memorial lectures on March 12 on interactions of weather and society. The Williams Fund helps pay for the lectures.
     NCAR, near Boulder, Colo., provides the academic science and teaching communities with tools, facilities and support for research and works with university scientists researching atmospheric chemistry, climate, interactions between the sun and earth, humans' effects on climate and other topics.
     Other lectures of note are two in a new series of School of Natural Resources director's lectures. The first will be given by Rosina Bierbaum, University of Michigan, Feb. 13, and the second is on April 9 by Gene Whitney of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
     "This slate of lecturers is perhaps the broadest and most thought-provoking of any collection of speakers in the history of this series," said UNL Water Center director Kyle Hoagland.
     "We're particularly pleased to be offering local topics of interest and debate, as well as others on a more world-based theme," he said.
     With the exception of the Jan. 23 lecture, arrangements can be made to broadcast lectures via high-speed Internet or UNL's videoconferencing network, Benson said.
     For arrangements, or more information on the lectures series, contact the UNL Water Center at (402) 472-3305.
     Seminar cosponsors are the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Water Center, Water Resources Research Initiative and School of Natural Resources.
     Lecture dates, presenters and topics are:
    Jan. 16-Jasper Fanning, Upper Republican Natural Resources District, Reconciling Economic Viability and Compact Compliance in the Republican Basin.
    Jan. 23-Ann Bleed, Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, Formulating Policies for Future Water Use in the Great Plains. Cosponsored by the Center for Great Plains Studies. Note location change: Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q Street, Hewit Place. Reception 3 p.m., lecture 3:30 p.m.
    Jan. 30-Clinton Moore, U. S. Geological Survey, Adaptive Management: Decision-Making Under Uncertainty.
    Feb. 6-Keith Duncan, New Mexico State University, Saltcedar Management Options.
    Feb. 13-School of Natural Resources Director's Series Lecture: Rosina Bierbaum, University of Michigan, Ecological Implications of Climate Change.
    Feb. 20-Jerry Kenny, Platte River Recovery Implementation Program, Platte River Recovery Implementation Program: Year One.
    Feb. 27-Eran Hood, University of Alaska Southeast, Glaciers, Salmon, and Wetlands: The Hydrology and Biogeochemistry of Coastal Temperate Rainforest Streams in Southeast Alaska.
    March 5-Zohrab Samani, New Mexico State University, Estimating Riparian Evapotranspiration-An Application of Remote Sensing Technology.
    March 12-Williams Memorial Lecture: Jeff Lazo, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Weather and Society: Integrating Social Sciences into the Hydrometeorology Community.
    March 19-No seminar (UNL spring break)
    March 26-Elizabeth Burleson, University of South Dakota, Legal Frameworks for Water and Climate Change.
    April 2-Williams Memorial Lecture: Sarah Bruce, Bureau of Resource Sciences, Australia, The National Agricultural Monitoring System-Supporting Australian Drought Policy.
    April 9-School of Natural Resources Director's Series Lecture: Gene Whitney, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Communicating Science Information to Policy Makers and the Public.
    April 16-Kremer Memorial Lecture: Kathleen Miller, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Uncertain Future for Water Resources: Grappling with Climate Change.