Best Travis Loop Podcasts (2025)

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Scaling Distributed Infrastructure: Lawns, Parks, and Forests

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10 days ago

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Turning lawns into water savings, rewriting city codes, and protecting forests upstream—these are just some of the ways communities are reimagining their water systems with help from the WaterNow Alliance. In this conversation from the Reservoir Center in Washington, D.C., Cynthia Koehler, Executive Director of the organization, shares how their Pr…

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In The Newsroom With Brett Walton: A Blue Economy For Great Lakes

11 days ago

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What does a 21st-century water-powered economy look like? In this conversation, Brett Walton of Circle of Blue discusses their new reporting series on the blue economy in the Great Lakes region—where water is being used to drive innovation, jobs, and sustainable growth. The discussion explores how cities like Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Chicago are b…

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In The Newsroom With Bob Crossen: EPA Acts on PFAS, Trump Proposes Deep Funding Cuts

18 days ago

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EPA is moving forward with PFAS drinking water limits but delaying compliance deadlines and withdrawing a controversial hazard index. At the same time, the Trump White House has proposed about a 90% cut to the State Revolving Funds—raising serious concerns about how utilities will afford compliance and critical infrastructure upgrades. In this epis…

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Reviving Ancestral Waters In Modern Times: Beth Roach On Indigenous Advocacy For Clean Water

21 days ago

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A legacy of pollution and neglect once left the James River and surrounding waterways in ecological crisis. But decades of federal protections and grassroots advocacy have shown that nature can heal—if given the chance. In this episode, Beth Roach, Vice Chair of the Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia and National Water Conservation Campaign Manager …

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The Future Of Stormwater Goes Underground

28 days ago

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Stormwater management solutions that are effective, space-conscious, and sustainable are increasingly important for cities. One increasingly popular solution is deep infiltration, a practice that moves stormwater into native soils far below the surface, to avoid harmful runoff and recharge groundwater. In this episode, Gregor Patsch of Oldcastle In…

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Outlook On Federal Water Policy In Trump Administration & New Congress

about a year ago

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As a new administration and Congress settle into Washington, questions loom about how federal water policy will take shape amid broader political turbulence. Fortunately, water remains a rare bipartisan issue, providing a pathway for continued investment and action around critical infrastructure and public health. In this conversation from the Rese…

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$119 Million XPRIZE Aims To Disrupt Desalination

about a year ago

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Desalination is a proven technology—but it’s still too costly, energy-intensive, and inaccessible for the communities that need it most. To change that, XPRIZE launched a $119 million global competition to drive breakthroughs in seawater desalination and deliver scalable, sustainable solutions. Lauren Greenlee, Executive Vice President of Food+Wate…

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The Coharie Tribe Revival By River And Ancient Trees

about a year ago

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A 2,600-year-old bald cypress tree stands quietly in North Carolina’s Three Sisters Swamp—older than the Roman Empire, untouched by time, and protected by a resurgent tribal community. In this powerful episode, Travis Loop joins members of the Coharie Tribe on a World Water Day paddle through their ancestral waters on the Black River. Guided by Kul…

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Centering People First In Water Policy: With Radhika Fox

about a year ago

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Radhika Fox has spent her career at the intersection of people, policy, and infrastructure. In a conversation from the Reservoir Center in Washington, D.C., the former head of EPA's Office of Water shares how she helped lead the largest federal investment in U.S. water infrastructure, advance PFAS regulation, and expand environmental justice effort…

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Eco-Islam: How Green Muslims Put Faith In Sustainability

about a year ago

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Islam offers powerful guidance for enviromental stewardship - and Huda Alkaff has spent 20 years bringing those teachings to life. As Founder of Wisconsin Green Muslims, Huda blends faith, ecology, and community action to advance water equity and climate justice. She shares how Islamic teachings inspire a sustainable lifestyle - from spiritual wate…

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Mayors Urge Congress To Fund Great Lakes Projects 25:14

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about a year ago25:14

25:14

Decades of underinvestment in water infrastructure have caused major issues—lead pipes, sewer overflows, and stormwater failures—in cities like Benton Harbor, Michigan and Mount Vernon, New York. In this episode, Mayor Marcus Muhammad of Benton Harbor and Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard of Mount Vernon share how federal investments have made a real d…

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Recycling Tile Drain Water: How Farmers Can Reduce Runoff

about a year ago

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Nutrient runoff from tile drainage systems on Iowa farms is a significant challenge, affecting local waterways and the Mississippi River. Tile drain water recycling offers an innovative solution by capturing nutrient-rich drainage water, storing it in reservoirs, and reusing it for irrigation. This approach reduces nitrogen runoff while providing f…

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Saving Texas Springs: A Balance of Groundwater and Growth

about a year ago

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Texas' iconic springs are facing growing pressure from urban development, groundwater pumping, and climate change, threatening the lifeline of both ecosystems and communities. But through sustainable aquifer management, conservation easements, and innovative policies, there is hope for keeping these vital waters flowing. This episode features conve…

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How Relay Crops Reduce Floods And Boost Farm Profits

about a year ago

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Flooding and water quality degradation are significant challenges in Iowa's agricultural watersheds, driven by intensive farming practices and increasingly extreme weather events. Relay cropping, a regenerative farming practice, offers a solution by keeping soil covered and living roots in the ground year-round to reduce runoff and improve soil hea…

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Restoring Rapids in the Grand River

about a year ago

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Grand Rapids is restoring the namesake rapids of the Grand River, reversing decades of human intervention that removed natural rock formations and altered the river’s flow. The city’s River For All project is removing five low-head dams and reshaping riverbanks to improve habitat, water quality, and public access. Mike Stahl, an engineer with the C…

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Iowa's Oxbow Lake Revival By Restoration

about a year ago

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Agriculture in Iowa is vital to feeding the world, but it poses challenges for water quality and flood management due to nutrient runoff and extreme weather. One innovative solution is the restoration of oxbow lakes—former river bends that have become disconnected from streams. These revitalized oxbows filter out nutrients like nitrates, provide ha…

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Funding Lead Free Child Care In Cook County

about a year ago

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The presence of 200,000 lead service lines in Cook County, Illinois poses a serious public health threat, especially to young children who are highly vulnerable to the effects of lead exposure. Addressing this issue requires collaboration across more than 130 municipalities and overcoming the complexities of replacing outdated infrastructure. One k…

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The Facts On Fighting Wildfires In L.A. And Beyond | Episode 251

about a year ago

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Amid the devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires, confusion and misinformation have surrounded the role of water resources. This episode clarifies key inaccuracies, highlighting how municipal water systems are designed to support localized firefighting efforts rather than large-scale wildfires fueled by extreme weather conditions. Kathryn Sorenson…

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Observing Patterns In Sustainable Solutions Across The U.S. | Episode 253

about a year ago

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At the 2024 WaterSmart Innovations Conference in Las Vegas, waterloop founder Travis Loop shared key insights from his travels across the United States, documenting innovative water projects. He identified a number of commonalities that define sustainable solutions. A return to nature is a recurring theme, with projects like Louisiana’s $3 billion …

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A Blueprint For Community Based Partnerships | Episode 252

about a year ago

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Since launching in 2014, the Clean Water Partnership in Prince George’s County, Maryland has provided a blueprint on how the government and a company can work together to simultaneously tackle environmental challenges and achieve community and business development. In this episode, Roland Jones of CIS and Jim Lyons of Prince George’s County discuss…

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Providing SAFER Water In California - With Adriana Renteria | Episode 250

about a year ago

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About one million Californians face persistent challenges accessing safe, affordable drinking water, particularly in rural and disadvantaged communities. California’s SAFER program, led by the State Water Resources Control Board, takes a holistic and proactive approach to address these inequities, providing funding, technical assistance, and regula…

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An Innovative Fund For Farms’ Environmental Outcomes | Episode 249

about a year ago

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Excess nutrients from farms in Iowa and across the Midwest are a major challenge, polluting local waterways and ultimately impacting the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico. To address this, the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund incentivizes farmers to adopt practices that improve water quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this episode, Adam…

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A Coalition To Fight Flooding | Episode 248

about a year ago

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Flooding is impacting communities nationwide with both devastating and costly effects. The solution requires resilience planning, infrastructure adaptation, and community involvement to effectively address flood risk. In this episode, Melissa Roberts of the American Flood Coalition discusses the increasing frequency and impact of flooding across th…

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Mississippi Mayors Mobilize For Resilience | Episode 247

about a year ago

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The Mississippi River is essential to global agriculture and trade, but it is increasingly vulnerable to climate impacts, including severe droughts and floods, resulting in significant economic and environmental challenges. Colin Wellenkamp, Executive Director of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI), discusses how the coalition…

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Life Behind The Levee At Dogooth Bend | Episode 246

about a year ago

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The ever-changing nature of the Mississippi River poses significant challenges for those living behind the levee at Dogtooth Bend in southern Illinois, where increased flooding and infrastructure strain can impact everyday existence. A promising solution involves nature-based strategies that restore floodplains to better manage water flow and reduc…

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Las Vegas’ Winning Bet On Water | Episode 245

about a year ago

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Las Vegas faces unique challenges as a rapidly growing city with a small share of water from the Colorado River and an arid desert climate. To meet the demands of residents and 40 million annual visitors, Las Vegas implemented comprehensive approaches to sustainability that drove water usage down even as the population boomed. Bronson Mack of the S…

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Water Infrastructure: Progress And Policy | Episode 244

about a year ago

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The federal government's historic investment in water infrastructure has presented both opportunities and challenges. The solution lies in efficiently distributing funds, overcoming barriers like permitting and regulatory requirements, and accelerating the pace of project implementation. In this episode, Tim Male, Executive Director of the Environm…

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The Power Of Partnerships For Justice | Episode #243

about a year ago

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Communities across the country are disproportionately impacted by environmental injustices like water pollution and inadequate infrastructure. The solution requires not only winning court battles but also building long-term, collaborative relationships with those affected on the ground. In this episode, Julian Gonzalez, Senior Legislative Counsel o…

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Ducks Unlimited’s Playbook For Nature | Podcast 242

about a year ago

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Wetlands along the Mississippi River have been disappearing for decades, leading to increased flooding and degradation of water quality, as well as loss of wildlife habitat. Nature-based solutions, like wetland restoration and floodplain reconnection, offer a path to address these challenges plus provide benefits for communities and commerce. In th…

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Park Power: Resilience & Recreation For Memphis | Episode 241

about a year ago

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Memphis faces the dual challenge of protecting itself from Mississippi River flooding while enhancing the environment and public spaces. The solution lies in nature-based projects that manage stormwater, restore wetlands, and provide community amenities. In this episode Carol Coletta of Memphis River Parks Partnership and Jake Spears of Ducks Unlim…

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Insights On Utility Assistance With George Hawkins | Podcast 240

about a year ago

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Many water utilities across the U.S. are grappling with aging infrastructure, underfunding, and staffing challenges, but solutions are within reach through smarter management and targeted technical assistance. From a conversation at the Reservoir Center, George Hawkins, CEO of Moonshot Missions, shares how his organization helps utilities of all si…

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Milwaukee’s Formula For Lead Line Replacement | Podcast 238

about a year ago

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Milwaukee faces a significant challenge with over 70,000 lead service lines. In response, the city has implemented a replacement program initiated by an ordinance in 2017. This initiative leverages federal funding to focus on disadvantaged communities, with an emphasis on neighborhoods identified as most in need through an area deprivation index. I…

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Partnership For The Fresh Coast Of Milwaukee

about a year ago

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Milwaukee is tackling the challenge of urban stormwater management through an innovative community-based public-private partnership. The Fresh Coast Protection Partnership is expanding green infrastructure, enhancing neighborhood quality, and developing the local workforce. In this episode, Bre Plier from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage Distric…

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Meet Leaders Emerging in WaterNow

about a year ago

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Developing and recognizing emerging leaders in the water sector is crucial for addressing current and future challenges. The WaterNow Alliance’s Emerging Leaders program plays a vital role in this effort by identifying and supporting professionals who are driving positive change in their communities. This episode presents brief interviews with the …

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Tracking Evapotranspiration From Space

about a year ago

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Managing water resources effectively is crucial, especially in regions facing scarcity and drought. The OpenET platform, developed through collaboration between NASA, the Environmental Defense Fund, and other partners, offers a groundbreaking solution by leveraging satellite data to measure evapotranspiration. In this episode, we hear from Forrest …

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Sophia Wang on the new tools helping her find answers in old data 37:22

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about a year ago37:22

37:22

On our final episode this season of Working Smarter we talk to Sophia Wang, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Stanford University. Wang leads the school’s ophthalmic informatics and artificial intelligence group, which uses the latest machine learning techniques to analyze electronic health records. In practice, that means looking at dispa…

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Safeguarding Our Seas: National Marine Sanctuaries (Podcast #234)

about a year ago

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Marine conservation and the preservation of the U.S.'s most cherished underwater environments are critically important issues. National Marine Sanctuaries provide a solution by protecting these vital ecosystems. Shannon Colbert of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation shares insights into the significance of these sanctuaries, which range from v…

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Cultivating Future Water Leaders In Colorado (waterloop podcast #233)

about a year ago

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As the need for sustainable water management becomes increasingly critical, developing the next generation of leaders is paramount. One promising solution is the Colorado Water Fellows Program, which connects students with water issues and equips them with practical experience. In this episode, Jessica Thrasher, Water Equity Programs Leader at the …

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CEO Drew Houston on solving the biggest problem with modern work 39:39

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about a year ago39:39

39:39

For our seventh episode of Working Smarter we’re talking to Drew Houston, the co-founder and CEO of Dropbox. If you’ve been online long enough, it’s likely Dropbox was your introduction to the cloud. The goal is still more or less the same—give you one organized place for all your stuff—but it’s no longer just about storing and syncing files. A hun…

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#232: Mississippi By Nature: Leading Greenville Toward Resilience

about a year ago

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Communities along the Mississippi River face numerous challenges from natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, and droughts. This episode explores how adopting nature-based solutions can bolster resilience against these impacts. Mayor Errick Simmons of Greenville, Mississippi, shares insights into his community's efforts and the collaborative …

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Pascal Weinberger on bringing the "superpower" of automation to everyone 34:42

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about a year ago34:42

34:42

For our sixth episode of Working Smarter we’re talking to Pascal Weinberger, the co-founder and CEO of Bardeen, an AI-powered automation platform. Weinberger wants to help people effortlessly automate repetitive tasks in the apps they already use for work—no code required. His hope is that by removing some of the friction that makes it hard for peo…

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#231: Mississippi By Nature: The Largest Ever Floodplain Reconnection

about a year ago

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Floodplain reconnection has emerged as a crucial solution to mitigating flooding, improving water quality, and supporting biodiversity along the Mississippi River corridor. In this episode, Chris Rice of The Nature Conservancy discusses the restoration of Mollicy Farms, the largest floodplain reconnection project ever undertaken in the U.S. Chris e…

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#230: Storytelling Advice From A CNN Correspondent

about a year ago

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The fact there are 2.2 million people in America without safe drinking water and adequate sanitation in their homes does not receive enough media attention or public awareness. There are lessons on how to change this from the high-profile coverage of connected environmental issues such as climate change. This episode features a conversation with Bi…

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Natalie Kupperman on why we still need humans in the loop 39:16

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about a year ago39:16

39:16

For our fifth episode of Working Smarter we’re talking to sports scientist Natalie Kupperman. She’s an assistant professor of data science at the University of Virginia where she studies the use of biometrics, wearables, and AI-powered tools for athlete monitoring in sport. Whether it’s a machine learning algorithm trained on video footage from pra…

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#229: Navigating Federal Funding For Local Impact

about a year ago

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Communities across the United States face significant challenges in accessing and effectively utilizing federal funding for water initiatives. The solution lies in leveraging these resources to empower grassroots organizations and address local water issues. This episode is a recording from a session at River Network’s River Rally, during which Cel…

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#228: Rallying With River Network’s Emerging Leaders

about a year ago

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The River Network’s Emerging Leader Award highlights rising stars at the crossroads of water and justice. Designed to boost early career professionals, the award offers recognition, confidence, and networking opportunities. At River Rally 2024 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, four awardees shared their impactful work, the reasons for their recognition, a…

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Babak Hodjat on building smarter, more helpful AI 36:36

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about a year ago36:36

36:36

For our fourth episode of Working Smarter we’re talking to Babak Hodjat, the chief technology officer for AI research at Cognizant. If you’ve ever used Apple’s smart assistant Siri, then you’re almost certainly familiar with his work. Hodjat has been doing AI research for nearly four decades, and if there’s one thread that runs through his career, …

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#227: Ride On A River: The Potomac

about a year ago

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The Potomac River, once labeled a national disgrace due to severe pollution, has seen significant improvements over the decades. Through efforts such as wastewater treatment upgrades and cleanup of industrial hotspots, the river's health has greatly improved, making it often safe for recreational use. In this episode, Dean Naujoks, the Potomac Rive…

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#226: Artistic Expressions Of Jackson’s Water Woes

about a year ago

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Jackson, Mississippi, has long struggled with inadequate water infrastructure, highlighted by a major treatment plant failure in 2022 that left 160,000 residents without safe drinking water. Lexus Giles, an artist from Jackson, reflects on these challenges through her work "Wading the Woes of Jackson Water." The exhibit features pieces that represe…

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#225: Mississippi By Nature: Building A Workforce

about a year ago

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Agencies responsible for natural resources along the Gulf Coast and Mississippi River corridor often face significant challenges due to limited resources. A powerful solution to this problem is the Gulf Corps program, which leverages funding from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement to support nature-based projects. This episode features conv…