Honoring leadership for the
Colorado River
Please join me in congratulating the 2026 John Lay River Hero Honoree, Mr. Phil Wilson, for his stellar leadership during a critical time for the Colorado River.
Mr. Wilson, LCRA’s 11th general manager, guided LCRA through a vital time in the history of the Colorado River. Over those 11 years, under his leadership, LCRA managed the river through record-breaking droughts and floods, and significantly increased the region’s water supplies by constructing and bringing the new Arbuckle Reservoir online in Wharton County.
During his tenure, LCRA worked with a variety of interests throughout the basin to update LCRA’s Water Management Plan three times to help ensure a balanced approach to meeting the diverse and sometimes-competing water needs through the basin while maintaining a healthy, flowing river. Working with Texas Legislature, LCRA secured the authority to expand its mission, building a broadband and telecommunications network that will support critical emergency communications for years to come. During Phil’s tenure, LCRA provided more than $17 million to support the communities it serves through robust community grants.
Since 2001, the Colorado River Alliance Board has honored an individual, couple, group, business, or organization for contributions to the preservation and protection of the Texas Colorado River. The John Lay River Hero award, renamed in 2020 for our beloved and longtime supporter, Mr. John Lay, is an integral aspect of the annual fundraising gala, Cocktails for the Colorado.
We are proud to honor Mr. Phil Wilson as the 2026 John Lay River Hero Honoree at this year’s Cocktails for the Colorado gala on Friday, September 11th, at the Four Seasons Hotel Austin. As we celebrate the Texas Colorado River, we will also raise a glass to Phil’s exceptional leadership and his lasting contributions to the river and the communities that depend on it.
Adrienne Longenecker, CFRE
Executive Director
