2026 CONFERENCE AGENDA
Making Restoration Happen
*Check for updates, as the agenda is subject to change.
Sunday, August 30, 2026
1:00 - 5:00 pm
Registration & Conference Information Desk Open (Ryman Exhibit Hall B2)
Exhibitor Set-Up (Ryman Exhibit Hall B2)
Monday, August 31, 2026
7:00 am (Ryman Exhibit Hall B2)
Registration & Conference Information Desk Open
8:30 am - 12:00 pm Special Sessions
1. Fish & Fire: Integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western Science in
Watershed Restoration (Davidson 1)
-- Kenneth Brink, Vice-Chair, Karuk Tribe, Happy Camp, CA
-- Toz Soto, Karuk Tribe, Somes Bar, CA
2. Designing a Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Program for Your Stream
Restoration Projects (Davidson 2)
-- Jason York, Michael Baker Intl, Asheville, NC
3. Effective State-Wide Collaboration for Dam Removal in Vermont (Nine Removals in
2025!) (Davidson 3)
-- Karina Dailey, Vermont Natural Resources Council, Montpelier, VT
4. Advancing Natural Channel Design: Current Practice, Tools & Applications
(Davidson Ballroom)
-- Dave Rosgen, PhD, PH, Wildland Hydrology, Fort Collins, CO
12:00 Lunch on Your Own
Opening Session (Davidson Ballroom)
1:30 pm
Welcome & Opening Remarks, David Strand, Resource Institute
From Drivers to Decisions: How Restoration Actually Happens
Competing drivers, constraints, and priorities shape restoration projects. Through three real-world case studies, this interactive opening session explores how technical, regulatory, ecological, community, and funding considerations influence restoration decisions and project outcomes.
Learn more about the Presenters
1:40 – 2:00 | What Drives Restoration Decisions?
-- Barbara Doll, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
2:00 – 2:30 | Raven Fork Restoration Project
-- David Brown, PG, Jennings Environmental, LLC, Asheville, NC
2:30 – 3:00 | San Pedro Creek Culture Park Project
-- TBA, San Antonio River Authority
-- Tami Norton, Ecosystem Planning & Restoration, San Antonio, TX
Break 3:00 to 3:20 pm
3:20 – 3:50 | Hayman and Waldo Canyon Wildfires, Colorado
-- Dave Rosgen, PhD, PH & Brandon Rosgen, Wildland Hydrology, Fort Collins, CO
3:50 – 4:00 | Synthesis Talk: Designing to Drivers
-- Barbara Doll, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
4:00 – 4:35 | Panel: How Decisions Actually Get Made
-- David Brown, PG, Jennings Environmental, LLC, Asheville, NC
-- Rebecca Krug, San Antonio River Authority
-- Tami Norton, Ecosystem Planning & Restoration, San Antonio, TX
-- Dave Rosgen, PhD, PH, Wildland Hydrology, Fort Collins, CO
-- Brandon Rosgen, Wildland Hydrology, Fort Collins, CO
-- Meykayle Houghton, Cumberland River Compact, Nashville, TN
-- Ben Brown, TN Department of Transportation, Nashville, TN
-- Jeff Willoughby, City of Franklin, Franklin, TN
4:35 – 4:45 | Reflections & Key Takeaways
-- Barbara Doll, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
5:00 pm
Women in Stream Restoration (WiSR) Meeting
6 - 8 pm Sponsors’ Reception (Ryman Exhibit Hall B2)
____________________________________________________________
Tuesday, September 1, 2026
7:30 am
Exhibit Hall Opens (Ryman Exhibit Hall B2)
Registration & Conference Information Desk Open (Davidson Ballroom Foyer)
8:30 am– 12:10 pm Technical Breakout Sessions
with a Break at 10:10 am in (Ryman Exhibit Hall B2)
A. Dam Removal, Connectivity & Sediment Dynamics (Davidson A)
B. Design Innovations for Stream & Floodplain Systems (Davidson 3)
C. Floodplain Reconnection & Climate Resilience (Davidson C)
D. Policy, Planning & Community Partnerships (Davidson 4)
E. Riparian Vegetation, Habitat & Ecological Stewardship (Davidson 2)
F. Urban Stream Restoration: Design, Engagement & Stewardship (Davidson 1)
12:10 – 1:30 pm Lunch Provided (Ryman Exhibit Hall B2)
1:30 - 5:10 pm Technical Breakout Sessions
with a Break at 3:10 pm in the Exhibit Hall (Ryman Exhibit Hall B2)
G. Functional Assessment, Mitigation & Regulatory Frameworks (Davidson A)
H. Hydrologic & Hydraulic Modeling for Restoration Design (Davidson 3)
I. Infrastructure Utilities & Urban Constraints (Davidson C)
J. Monitoring, Metrics & Project Performance (Davidson 2)
K. Nature-Based Solutions & Restoration Techniques (Davidson 1)
L. Tools, Technology & Digital Innovation in Restoration (Davidson 4)
4:45 pm Adjourn for the Day
____________________________________________________________
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
7:30 am
Exhibit Hall Opens - (Ryman Exhibit Hall B2)
Registration & Conference Information Desk Open - (Davidson Ballroom Foyer)
8:30 am Closing Session (Davidson Ballroom)
10:00 am Break (Ryman Exhibit Hall B2)
10:20 am
11:45 am
Conference Wrap-Up, Survey & Next Steps
-- Alan Walker, Resource Institute, Waynesville, NC
12:15 pm Cash Drawing for $500 (Must be Present to Win)
12:15 pm Conference Adjourns - See you in 2026!
1:00 - 6:00 pm Trace Creek Field Trip: Suburban Stream Restoration in Practice
Explore 2.6 miles of suburban stream restoration in one of the fastest-growing counties in the U.S. with Ecosystem Planning & Restoration and the Cumberland River Compact. This field trip highlights design and construction strategies for restoring streams in constrained, high-visibility corridors while balancing infrastructure, hydrology, regulatory requirements, and ecological uplift.
Field Trip Registration