Conference Highlights

Sunday, June 7th

-Welcome Reception, Friend Center, 5:00 – 6:30pm

Monday, June 8th

-Lunch Panel: The Role of Models in Adjudications and Other Water Rights Disputes

This panel will bring together technical, knowledge transfer, and legal experts at the forefront of water resource analysis to engage in an open, moderated discussion on the use of models in water rights disputes and adjudications. The session will open with a 15-minute talk covering key technical concepts, including approaches to estimating available water resources, resolving methodological differences, the concept of “Adversarial Collaboration,” and the strategies for managing and communicating model limitations. Panelists will represent a range of perspectives, from technical modeling and policy transfer to legal practice, offering attendees a rich, cross-disciplinary dialogue on how models shape and inform high-stakes water rights decisions.

-Special Session: Global Groundwater Network Community Forum

This session will be an interactive community forum discussing the ongoing work of the GEWX Global Groundwater Network to bring together the groundwater modeling, climate and earth systems modeling communities.  Our goal is to improve groundwater representation in global simulations. In this session we will be discussing (1) the physical processes, spatial scales and hydrogeologic settings that are most critical to better represent hydrologic exchanges with the subsurface at the global scale, (2) pathways to better connect the groundwater community and its work with global modeling, (3) blockers to scientific exchanges between our communities.

-Interactive Software Demonstrations and Poster Reception, Carl A. Fields Center and Lawn, 5:30 – 7:30pm

Tuesday, June 9th

-Lunch Keynote Speaker: Taikan Oki, Professor, University of Tokyo

“Evolution of Global Hydrology in the Anthropocene”

-Special Session: MODFLOW as a Community-Based Development Effort

MODFLOW supports science, policy, and water‑resource decisions across government, consulting, and research worldwide. Recent changes at the USGS and the emergence of a formal governance model have raised questions about what the future of MODFLOW looks like and how the hydrologic modeling community can shape it. This special session brings together developers, practitioners, and stakeholders for a close look at the present state and future of MODFLOW. Participants will hear the latest updates directly from core contributors, learn how the new governance structure secures stability and transparency, and see how community‑driven development is strengthening the platform. In addition to technical talks, the session features an interactive component where attendees can ask questions, discuss priorities, and explore opportunities to engage in MODFLOW’s long‑term roadmap.

-Poster Reception, Carl A. Fields Center and Lawn, 5:00 – 7:00pm

Wednesday, June 10th

-Conference Closing and Lecture,
Friend Center, 12:15 – 1:15pm

2026 Henry Darcy Distinguished Lecturer, Steven Loheide, Professor, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison

“Groundwater Recharge Regimes are in Flux”

 

-Last day of conference will end after Darcy Lecture

Lunch will be provided (please indicate your preference on conference registration form) from 1:15 – 2:15pm