The future of East Texas’ water resources is promising with the Sept. 24 launch of the East Texas Water Institute (ETWI), a new regional initiative designed to expand the information, expertise and partnerships available to communities as they plan for generations to come.
The initiative is a joint effort of the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, Stephen F. Austin State University and Angelina College.
“Water is our greatest resource. It’s a throughline connecting nearly every part of East Texas’ future – our health, economy, land and communities,” Charlie Glover, president and CEO of the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, said. “A thriving East Texas for all will depend on how well we work together to steward this resource, strengthen regional capacity and ensure communities have the tools and partnerships needed to plan for the future.
“This won’t be an ivory tower on a hill, but a base camp in the pines, a resource now and for the future,” Glover said.
The T.L.L. Temple Foundation is endowing the institute’s executive director position, making a long-term investment in the leadership and capacity needed to sustain the Institute’s work across East Texas.
Dr. Drew Gholson was appointed as associate vice president and executive director of the Institute. He most recently served as an associate professor and director of the National Center for Alluvial Aquifer Research at Mississippi State University.
Gholson brings a wealth of credentials and experience to the table. He holds a bachelor of science degree in rangeland ecology and management, a master of science degree in water management and hydrological science, and a doctorate in soil science.
Having been raised on a cow/calf operation in Iowa Park, Texas, Gholson said he grew up knowing the importance of water.
“It intertwines everything that we have. It is the lifeblood of everything that we do. Cities, hospitals, schools – everything we have is connected to water. Water is not just a resource – it is the foundation of every community’s future. In East Texas, the decisions made today about groundwater, surface water, and water infrastructure will shape what is possible for the next generation. ETWI was created to ensure those decisions are informed, science-based, and locally grounded,” Gholson said.
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude and also excitement. Regional challenges require regional solutions. We’re going to be focused on the issues we face in East Texas and solve those problems. What the Institute can do through the partnerships will be a catalyst,” Gholson said.
The Institute will focus its work across five interconnected areas:
“Everything fell into one of these categories,” Gholson said, adding that the Institute is one system and not five silos. “The pieces connect. Data informs research. Research helps us educate. Education and training build the workforce. Partnerships keep it grounded in East Texas.
“We hope to be a catalyst to bring people together. Look at water data. Collect the data, make a platform. The Institute is a bridge between SFA labs and East Texas problems. I want the Institute to be the table that brings everybody together, grounded in East Texas,” Gholson said.
Housed within SFA’s Center for Applied Research and Rural Innovation, the Institute will serve as a regional hub connecting communities with research, technical expertise, workforce development, public education and partners who can help move important water work forward.
“We have the vehicle to bring this Institute to life, to provide a trusted regional home to address challenges, problems, solutions through water data, technical expertise and workforce development,” SFA President Dr. Neal Weaver said.
“This is truly a historic day for East Texas. Water is everything. It is the resource that sustains life. Collaboration and partnership drive success and we literally recruited the national expert,” Angelina College President Dr. Michael Simon said.
