Call for Speakers
for the 2026 Environmental Flows Conference
Conference Location: Coast Capri Hotel, 1171 Harvey Ave., Kelowna, B.C.
Conference Dates: Wednesday, Oct. 7 to Friday, Oct. 9, 2026
Shape the Future of siwłkʷ Water for All
Join us in Kelowna, British Columbia, from October 7 – 9, 2026, for the Environmental Flows Conference, where we unite experts, visionaries, and community leaders dedicated to sustainable water futures.
The Okanagan Basin Water Board, Canadian Water Resources Association, and Okanagan Nation Alliance welcome you to the 2026 Environmental Flows Conference — bringing together researchers, water managers, and Indigenous knowledge holders from across Canada and around the world to advance the science, policy, and practice of environmental flows.
We are now inviting proposals for presentations that blend tradition with innovation. This is your opportunity to share research, case studies, and collaborative initiatives with a dedicated network of water stewards.
Speaker Submission Deadline: July 9, 2026
Conference Themes:
Governance, Policy & Cultural Flows: Legal frameworks, regulatory reform, Indigenous governance, cultural flows, water licensing.
Indigenous Knowledge Systems & Cultural Flows: Centre Indigenous knowledge keepers and practitioners working at the intersection of governance, cultural flows, and environmental flow needs.
EF Methods, Modelling & Monitoring: Holistic methods, flow–ecology relationships, hydraulic habitat modelling, hydrometric monitoring, climate-driven assessment updates.
Aquatic Ecosystems & Fisheries: Fish, riparian, wetlands, species conservation, restoration case studies.
Regional & Basin-Scale Frameworks: State/province-scale frameworks (California EFF, BC WSA, BC Drought Response); basin-scale planning; groundwater–surface water integration.
Environmental Flows & Society: Water quality, sediment, human–water interactions, social dimensions, youth & next-generation practitioners.
Presentation Format
Our conference format is designed for impact and dialogue.
- Standard Sessions: 7-10 minutes.
- Extended Sessions: 15 minutes.
- Anchor (Keynote Speakers): 20-30 minutes and anchor thematic blocks.
- Collaborative Focus: Speakers will be prioritized who offer innovative research, real-world case studies, and cross-sector partnerships.
Submission Guidelines
- Abstracts: Maximum 300 words.
- Presentation Lengths: most presentations will be allowed at 8 minutes long, while a few specially selected Anchor Presentations will be allowed at 15 minutes long.
- Requirements: Include presentation title, a brief description, the primary theme, and any relevant supporting media. Presentations must be about conference themes.
- Deadline: All submissions must be received by Thursday, July 9, 2026.
Speaker Submissions
Please send your submission to speak at the Environmental Flows Conference 2026.
Selection Process
Submissions will be reviewed by our panel of experts. Selected speakers will be notified and provided with further details on presentation logistics and conference arrangements. Speakers will be asked to submit an extended abstract (one to two pages) that elaborates on the key points of their presentation to provide more details on the background, methods, and findings.
Selected presentations may also be invited to submit a full manuscript to the Canadian Water Resources Journal special issue The state of environmental flow science in Canada (call opens August 2026; Guest Editors: Nehemy, Baril, St-Hilaire)
We look forward to your valuable contributions to a conference that promises to blend tradition with innovation, fostering an environment where every voice is heard, and every idea has the potential to spark change.
Questions? Contact us.
We respectfully acknowledge that the Environmental Flows Conference is planned and held on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded tm̓xʷúlaʔxʷ land of the Syilx Okanagan people who have resided here since time immemorial.
We honor and respect this land and the siwłkʷ water which flows through the valley and connects us all.