2027 Confluence: A Weber River Partnership Symposium
January 12, 2027 | 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
Weber State University | Shepherd Union Ballroom
Join the Weber River Partnership for our Annual Confluence Symposium, a full day of learning, connection, and collaboration focused on the Weber River watershed.
The Confluence Symposium brings together landowners, farmers and agricultural partners, water managers, local governments, state and federal agencies, Tribes, nonprofits, conservation organizations, researchers, educators, students, businesses, community members, and anyone who cares about the future of the Weber River watershed. Whether you work directly in water and watershed management or simply want to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing our region, you are invited.
Learn. Connect. Coordinate.
Hear from watershed partners, researchers, agencies, and community leaders about the issues and opportunities shaping the Weber River watershed. Topics will include:
Agriculture, Restoration & Science
Great Salt Lake
Watershed Success Stories
Funding Round Robin
Drought & Water Conservation
Throughout the day, attendees will have opportunities to learn, share ideas, find collaborators, and connect with resources and funding opportunities to support work across the watershed.
EVENT DETAILS:
When: January 12th, 2027. Daytime session 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Where: Weber State University Shepherd Union Ballroom
Registration: See the agenda and get tickets now at www.WeberRiverPartnership.org
AGENDA
Partner and resource tables, along with posters, will be available during designated breaks throughout the day for networking and connecting with presenters and organizations.
8:00–9:00 AM | Breakfast, Registration & Networking
Enjoy coffee and light snacks, get settled, and connect with other attendees. Posters and tables will begin opening during this time.
9:00–9:15 AM | Welcome & Weber River Partnership Update
Jessica Reynolds / Watershed Coordinator, Weber River Partnership / Welcome and Introduction
9:15–10:00 AM | Keynote
TBD
10:00–10:15 AM | Break
10:15 AM–12:00 PM | Drought & Water Conservation
Water Supply Panel- Water Resources & Groundwater
Darren Hess, Assistant General Manager, COO, Weber Basin Water Conservancy District & Andy Garland, General Manager, Mountain Regional Water Special Service District
Cloud seeding & Emerging Water Supply Technologies
Max Jones & Jared Smith, Rainmaker Technology Corporation
Hill Air Force Base Water Resilience STUDY
Marisa Weinberg, Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape Coordinator & Easton Hopkins, Project Engineer, Hansen, Allen & Luce (HAL)
Tools NOT Rules: Transforming Landscapes for Water Conservation
Cynthia Bee, Director of Community Engagement, Utah Waterways
12:00–1:00 PM | Lunch & Networking
Enjoy a catered lunch and take time to visit posters and tables, connect with speakers, and meet other watershed partners.
1:00–2:00 PM | Agriculture, Restoration & Conservation
Phragmites Treatment
Kayla Garcia, Upstream Phragmites Mitigation Coordinator, Utah Association of Conservation Districts
Virtual Fencing
Chris Argyle, Producer, Argyle Acres
Conservation Grazing Approaches
Zachary Copeland, Owner & Operator, Idaho Goat Grazing
2:00–2:15 PM | Break
2:15–3:15 PM | Funding Round Robin
Hear directly from funding program representatives about available programs, eligible projects, application considerations, and opportunities to combine funding and partnerships.
Clean Water Act Section 319 & Non-point Source Pollution Funding
Paul Burnett, Nonpoint Source Program Coordinator, Utah Division of Water Quality
Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI)
Tyler Thompson, Watershed Program Director, Utah Department of Natural Resources
Invasive Species Management (ISM) Grants
Aaron Eager, State Noxious Weed Program Manager, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food
Utah Community Recreation Outdoor Recreation for Youth Engagement (UCORE)
Rebekah Rawlings, Youth Engagement Grants Administrator, Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation
Outdoor Recreation and Mitigation Grant (ORMG) & Utah Boating Recreation Grant (UBRG)
Jorge Vazquez, Motorized Recreation Grant Analyst, Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation
Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) & Federal Recreation Grants
Evan Beitsch, Federal Grants Coordinator, Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation
Federal Grants & Private Lands Conservation Funding
Destiny Allgood, Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Partners for Fish and Wildlife
NRCS Conservation Funding
Kenny Oswald, Weber River Area District Conservationist, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
3:15–3:30 PM | Break
3:30–5:00 PM | Watershed Success Stories & Restoration
Hear from partners who are putting watershed ideas into practice, building collaborations, and testing approaches that can inform future work across the Weber River watershed.
Ogden Valley Watershed Action Group (OVWAG)
Les Vierra, Water Resources Engineer, Ogden Valley Watershed Action Group
Upper Weber Watershed Project
Marisa Weinberg, Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape Coordinator & World Resources Institute
Great Salt Lake Commissioner Report
Hannah Freeze, Great Salt Lake Commissioner, Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner
Invasive Species Management
Parker Wayment, Zone Resource Coordinator, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food
Agricultural Lands, Water-Intensive Crops, & Great Salt Lake
Winona Wood, Ph.D. Student, Utah State University
5:00 PM | Symposium Concludes
