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NWHA Annual Conference Agenda

                   

Tuesday, February 24th Schedule

See all the speakers here.

The Hydropower Primer is a foundational workshop designed for those new to Hydro.  This workshop will introduce participants to the core concepts, terminology, and regulatory frameworks that shape hydroelectric generation in the Pacific Northwest. 

Participants will gain a clear understanding of:

  • The basic science and engineering behind hydroelectric generation
  • Key terminology used in the industry
  • The role of federal and state agencies in licensing and compliance
  • Environmental and community considerations in project development
  • The unique characteristics of hydropower
Room: Hemlock/Oak
This 1.5 hour workshop will focus on how Natel FishSafe runner technology enables safe through-turbine passage as a primary means to meet regulatory requirements. Natel will provide information on the underlying principles of FishSafe design and share real-world examples of how through-turbine passage can effectively address fish protection needs while maintaining efficient power production.The session will include a group discussion to surface common challenges in the Pacific Northwest, focusing on passage for salmon and other key migratory species. Attendees will come away with a clear technical understanding of how FishSafe designs can integrate into their existing sites to resolve complex fish passage needs.

The Cube of Creativity with Andrew Davis

Why adding constraints sparks innovation, action, & builds business.

We all need bigger budgets, more resources, more time! You'd love faster licensing renewals, fewer regulatory hurdles, and cutting-edge technology for aging infrastructure. Yeah, we'd all love to see environmental compliance that doesn't take decades, innovation funding that matches other renewables, and respect for hydro's critical role!

We're all stressed out, overworked, and balancing environmental stewardship with keeping the lights on.

Maybe, instead of fighting all these constraints, we need to embrace them.

It turns out teams that embrace constraints fuel growth, evolve fast, and deliver outsized results. The truth is that constraints breed creativity!

In this exhilarating 47-minute session, Andrew Davis will introduce you to the Cube of Creativity, four creative constraints you can add to any project, initiative, or plan to drive better outcomes faster.

You'll learn how one non-profit turned a shutdown into millions of dollars in donations. Andrew will reveal how a small bet with massive limitations resulted in a best-selling book. He'll show you how one business beat the odds by snooping through old SEC filings. You'll even learn how an intern transformed a multi-million dollar business in less than twelve hours. You'll even see how one infrastructure project flew through the approval process, when everyone embraced the constraints.

More importantly, you'll walk away ready to apply intelligent constraints to your hydropower initiatives, limitations that result in more innovation, less burnout, and outsized results.

Are you ready to embrace the constraints?

Join us for a networking session where attendees can connect with peers, industry leaders, and experts to exchange ideas, share experiences, and build new partnerships across the hydropower community.

What is the current administration doing to "unleash American energy," and what does that really mean when it comes to hydropower — a renewable resource that's been part of our nation's energy story for generations, yet now faces aging infrastructure, environmental challenges, and shifting energy priorities?

This session takes a closer look at how hydropower fits into the bigger picture of American energy independence and the ongoing energy transition. You'll hear how recent federal and state policy changes are shaping the future of hydropower — and what new opportunities and challenges this "unleashing" of energy could bring to the industry.

Join industry leaders and policy experts for a timely and engaging conversation about the evolving role of separated in America's energy landscape.

Moderator: To be announced
Speakers: To be announced

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are transforming how hydropower operators and resource managers monitor, manage, and protect both natural systems and critical infrastructure. This panel explores the practical use of drone technology to collect and apply high-resolution spatial data for environmental monitoring, habitat management, and regulatory compliance. Panelists will share real-world case studies demonstrating how UAS are being used to map channel migration, support river restoration efforts, monitor wildlife habitat, and detect and treat noxious weeds—improving ecological outcomes, enhancing infrastructure protection, and increasing operational efficiency.

Moderator: Joe Hagengruber

Speakers: Dakota Whitman and Aaron Utz

Room: Ash
Join us for the Technical Committee Meeting. Committee meetings are open to all conference attendees.

It seems like every other day we are reading about a new SCOTUS decision that impacts the hydropower industry. This session will explore some of the most significant recent and ongoing legal cases impacting hydropower projects across the country. Experts will examine how litigation is shaping policy interpretations, influencing licensing outcomes, and affecting project timelines and operational flexibility. From nationwide injunctions to NEPA and 401 water quality certifications, attendees will gain insight into key court decisions, emerging legal trends that could impact project development, operation, and compliance.

Moderators: Elizabeth McCormick
Speakers: Merissa Moeller, Jenna Mandell-Rice, Kari Vander Stoep

This panel will explore the growing challenges of ensuring Resource Adequacy amid policy demands for clean energy, stable rates, and continued reliable service. Panelists will examine how rapid, and uncertain, load growth are influencing reliability planning across the region. This discussion will underscore the need for collaboration and innovation to meet future demand while maintaining system reliability.
Moderator: Peter Graf
Speakers: Steve Bellcoff, Dor Hirsch Bar Gai

Bring your constraints and let's embrace them.

Now you've seen how powerful embracing constraints can be, it's time to put the Cube of Creativity into practice with your real hydropower challenges.

Yes, bring your biggest headaches, your regulatory nightmares, and your resource limitations. Watch LIVE as Andrew works with you to transform actual constraints facing the hydro industry into creative catalysts, using nothing but a dry erase board and the collective expertise in the room.

Got a 10-year licensing process that's killing momentum? Environmental compliance requirements that seem impossible? Aging infrastructure with shrinking budgets? Let's flip these constraints into advantages! Together we'll explore what it takes to turn the limitations that keep you up at night into the innovations that drive our industry forward.

Are you ready to embrace your constraints? Let's get to work.

Host: Andrew Davis




Join us for the Communications Committee Meeting. Committee meetings are open to all conference attendees.
Join us for an evening reception sponsored by Ballard Marine Construction to network with colleagues, connect with industry leaders, and continue the day's conversations. This event is sponsored by Ballard Marine Construction.

Wednesday, February 25th Schedule

See all the speakers here.
Kick off your day by joining the New Professionals Breakfast—an engaging and informal gathering designed for those who are early in their hydropower careers or new to the industry. This event is ideal for young professionals, recent graduates, and anyone interested in building their network and exploring career pathways in hydropower. Meet peers, connect with mentors, and help shape NWHA's support for emerging leaders. Attendees will also be invited to share their interests in a short poll—select from disciplines like Dam Safety, Engineering, Fisheries/Aquaculture, GeoTech, and Licensing and Regulation—to guide future networking and programming opportunities prior to the event so that experts in those fields can be available to help make connections and introductions.
Join us for morning coffee
Northwest utilities are struggling to meet the demands of AI and electrification driven load growth. New transmission infrastructure construction is complex and time consuming. This panel will cover the current transmission constraints, challenges, and opportunities for innovation.

Moderator: Dale Campbell
Speakers: Elizabeth Cook, Andy Wendell, and Richard Maguire

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more deeply integrated into energy, infrastructure, and environmental sectors, organizations must navigate a complex landscape of legal, regulatory, and cybersecurity risks. This session will examine the key considerations for deploying AI responsibly and securely—ranging from data privacy and intellectual property concerns to liability, transparency, and compliance with emerging regulations. The speaker will also address the cybersecurity implications of AI systems, including vulnerabilities, threat detection, and the risk of adversarial attacks. Whether you're adopting AI tools for operations, analysis, or communications, this session will provide practical guidance on safeguarding your systems and staying on the right side of the law in an increasingly AI-driven world.

Session Presenter: Alison Grounds

Invasive mussels—including quagga, zebra, and golden species—pose a significant threat to hydropower facilities by damaging raw water infrastructure, disrupting power generation, and increasing maintenance and mitigation costs. This panel will explore the risks these species present to hydro systems, as well as the strategies being implemented at the state and federal levels to prevent their spread. Panelists will highlight findings from hydropower vulnerability assessments in the Columbia River Basin and discuss tools and resources available to support prevention and control efforts. The session will also include insights on how assessment results are being applied to protect critical infrastructure such as fish hatcheries and irrigation systems.

Moderators: Leska Fore
Speakers: Justin Bush, Keith DeHart, and Lisa DeBruyckere
In 2018, FERC rescinded the Form 80 filing requirement, which had mandated monitoring of and reporting on the use and development of recreational facilities at all federally licensed hydroelectric developments on a regulated six-year cycle. Today, in place of the Form 80 requirement, many developments have project-specific license conditions that support recreation monitoring, though requirements often vary between licenses. This panel presentation will include discussion of ongoing recreation visitor monitoring efforts by two Washington utilities in the post-Form 80 era and will delve into the importance of recreation monitoring and the benefit it provides in the hydropower realm.
Moderators: Kim McMahon
Speakers: Michael Aronowitz and Kylie Vroman
This session explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming hydroelectric generation. We’ll begin with a foundational overview of AI, then walk through practical steps for AI preparation and integrating into a highly technical and regulated environment. We’ll highlight current applications in energy and ancillary services modeling, and conclude with strategies for managing risks while enhancing productivity.

Moderators: Brent Denham
Speakers: Kumar Prabakar, Andrew VanNess, and Joe Paul
Explore how to build mentorship, workforce collaboration, and communication in the partial to full return to work dynamic. As hydroelectric projects and processes expand in scope and complexity, organizations are approaching the return to work differently. Some have returned 100%, while others are still faced with scattered employees and determining how to efficiently support them. How do organizations develop their teams with technical expertise, adaptive skills, entry level staff, and communication tools during these transitional times? Will I lose key staff if I require a return-to-work policy? How easy is it to replace them? Remote WORKS for us! Through expert insights and real-world examples, attendees will examine how organizations are responding to return to work, developing professional growth, supporting retention, recruiting, facilitating knowledge transfer to emerging talent, and creating opportunities for career advancement.
Moderator: Diane Barr
Speaker: Eileen Crosby
Join us for coffee!
From updates to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Clean Water Act (CWA) to shifting interpretations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Section 401 certifications, recent changes to federal regulations are reshaping the regulatory landscape for hydropower projects. This session will provide an overview of the most significant regulatory reforms affecting hydropower development, licensing, and compliance. Experts will explore how these changes are influencing project timelines, stakeholder engagement, environmental review, and long-term operational certainty. Attendees will gain insights into the evolving roles of federal and state agencies, practical implications for existing and new projects, and strategies for navigating the new regulatory terrain. Whether you're in planning, legal, operations, or policy, this session will help you understand what's changing—and what it means for the future of hydropower.
Moderator: Andrea Wortzel
Speakers: Michael Campbell, Cherise Gaffney, and Margaret (Meg) Lee
Moderator: Ram Veeraraghaven
Join us for the Natural Resources Committee Meeting. Committee meetings are open to all conference attendees.
Join us for lunch
In the Northwest, considerable emphasis is placed on protection and enhancement of anadromous salmonid species; however, hydropower owners also implement protective measures for non-salmon species. Panelists will share examples of programs implemented at hydropower projects that are specifically intended to enhance fish species other than salmon. 
Moderator: Matt Cutlip
Speakers: Mariah Mayfield, Ken Lepla, and Matt Nobles
Moderator: Francois Vitez
Speaker: Mike Manwaring
Federal policies and agency priorities are constantly evolving, reshaping how cultural resources are identified, managed, and protected. This session will explore how recent shifts in federal frameworks have impacted tribal consultation, cultural resource management, and the broader responsibilities of project proponents and federal agencies.
Panelists representing Tribal governments, cultural resource professionals, and licensees will discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by these changes, including how differing interpretations of consultation, sovereignty, and stewardship have influenced outcomes on the ground. Attendees will gain insight into strategies for building more meaningful, respectful, and legally robust partnerships with Tribes in the face of policy uncertainty and administrative change.
Moderator: Andrea Weiser
Speakers: LeRoy Shingoitewa, Diana Bob, Josephine Jefferson, Kelly Derr
Join us for networking
Join us for the Legal and Regulatory Committee Meeting. Committee meetings are open to all conference attendees.
Re-introduction of Pacific Salmon above barriers or to systems where they were previously extirpated face many challenges. These challenges include but are not limited to permitting, introduction of pathogens, genetic management, issues over recreational fisheries for non-native fishes, and potential interactions with listed fishes that have not interacted with Pacific Salmon in some cases for 100 years. Within this symposium we present lessons learned from re-introduction programs and follow with an open panel discussion to address some of the challenges of Pacific Salmon reintroduction in the Pacific Northwest.
Moderator: Jason Romine
Speakers: Todd Newsome
Navigating the challenges of operating and being a good steward of a hydropower facility.

Moderator: Chad Croft
Speakers: Garth Wyatt, Mac Mikkelsen, David Elwood, Nic Dehlinger
Join us for the evening reception, sponsored by McMillen, Inc.

Thursday, February 26th Schedule

See all the speakers here.

Join us for a morning coffee
For over six decades, the Columbia River Treaty has shaped flood control and hydropower operations across one of North America's most significant river systems. As renegotiation efforts between the United States and Canada continue, the future of the treaty remains uncertain—and the stakes are high. This session will explore the evolving landscape of the Columbia River Treaty modernization process, including recent negotiation developments, international diplomacy challenges, and the integration of ecosystem functions and Indigenous perspectives into treaty considerations. Panelists will examine the implications for power generation, water management, tribal and First Nations rights, and regional collaboration. Attendees will gain insight into where the process stands now, what's driving progress (or delays), and what a modernized treaty could mean for the region's hydropower future.

Moderator: K.C. Mehaffey
Speakers: Kyle Murphy, Scott Simms, and Maura Brueger
New hydroelectric dams are a rarity in the U.S.—but just across the border, Canada is bringing massive projects to life. Join owners, engineers, and contractors as they pull back the curtain on the challenges, innovations, and feats of engineering behind Canada's newest hydropower builds. Don't miss this rare chance to see what it takes to turn bold visions into concrete reality!

Moderator: Nathan Rockwood
Speakers: Josh Gietz, Marc St. Laurent, Vincent Mercier

Hydropower stakeholders are increasingly investing in fish hatchery innovations to meet evolving environmental, operational, and regulatory demands. This session highlights emerging technologies that are reshaping hatchery practices—from advanced water filtration and temperature control systems to automated feeding, data-driven monitoring, and genetic management tools. Attendees will gain insights into how these technologies can improve fish health, enhance production efficiency, and support long-term sustainability goals.

Moderator: Scott Hopkins
Speakers: Riley Brown, John Rohrback, Bryant Charlo

Join us for a coffee break
This session will explore non-structural risk reduction measures. We will outline the data and modeling needs for designing risk reduction strategies, share implementation insights from working with regulators and stakeholders, and highlight lessons from a successful case study. Attendees will leave with practical steps to apply these efforts in their own organizations.

Moderators: Josh Gile
Speakers: Woodrow Fields, Jason Needham, and Brent Sullivan
In January 2024, the largest dam removal and restoration project in history in the United States began with the drawdown of three reservoirs. Ten months later, the dams were gone and the Klamath River was free-flowing through the former hydroelectric reach for the first time in over a century. During that time and in the year since, the Klamath River Renewal Company and partners have focused on implementing and monitoring ecologically sound restoration throughout the former reservoir footprints and high priority tributaries. This session will present on the restoration and dam removal process, sediment, water quality, and fish responses observed following the early stages of ecological recovery.

Moderators: Dan Chase
Speakers: Scott Wright, Dave Coffman, Stephanie Quinn- Davidson, and Mort McMillen
Join us for lunch
Join the Women in Hydro for Lunch
Spillways are typically considered one of the most critical systems within a hydropower facility, reinforcing the need to ensure their resiliency and reliability. This session will discuss how dam owners and operators are assessing, analyzing and retrofitting spillways to successfully manage risks surrounding aging infrastructure and changes in river operations.
Moderator: Ian Hunter
Speakers: Jason Christensen, John Boyd, Brent Sullivan

Shifting priorities, staffing changes, and budget constraints at federal agencies are creating ripple effects across the hydropower licensing and compliance landscape. As federal agencies navigate evolving missions and resource limitations, their capacity to engage in timely and consistent regulatory processes is being tested.

This session will examine how changes in federal resources—human, financial, and institutional—are influencing hydropower project timelines, consultation dynamics, and outcomes. Panelists will share on-the-ground perspectives from industry, agency, and legal viewpoints, exploring both the challenges and opportunities that arise when federal partners are stretched thin or reprioritizing. Attendees will gain practical insight into how the hydropower industry can adapt, collaborate, and advocate for effective engagement in an era of constrained federal capacity.

Moderator: Jeff Leahey
Speakers: Matt Cutlip, Steve Hocking, and Shari Anderson