Stoel Rives is pleased to co-sponsor the 20th Annual Oregon Water Law Conference, presented by the Seminar Group, at the Hotel Monaco in Portland, OR on November 3 & 4, 2011.

While water issues took a back seat to budget concerns in the last legislative session, much is going on in the other two branches of government. We will be honored this year to have as our keynote speaker Richard Whitman, the Governor's Natural Resources Advisor, to share his perspectives on natural resources policy and management.

The program will provide updates on the latest initiatives at the Water Resources Department, the Deschutes groundwater mitigation program, small-scale hydroelectric development, developments in the Tualatin Basin, and efforts to broaden the use of federal stored water on the Willamette River. We will be discussing the third attempt at guidance by EPA and the Corps of Engineers over wetlands jurisdiction following the Rapanos case, and new developments in the intersection of water rights and the Endangered Species Act. Practical advice will be offered for dealing with stormwater regulation, planning for climate change, maintenance of water rights through the Freshwater Trust, regulatory requirements for fish screening and passage, and reservoir siting. We'll also hear from the litigants in WaterWatch v. WRD, concerning the extension of the City of Cottage Grove's water rights, an important case testing the operation of 2005's HB 3038. And to cap it off, we'll have a session on legal ethics in the water law context.

Stoel Rives partner David Filippi will serve as co-chair of this event and will join panel discussions on "New Developments in the ESA/Water Rights Intersection" and "The Future of Fish Screens and Fish Passage in Oregon" and partner Brad Tellam will present on "Ethical Considerations" on Friday, November 4, 2011.

For more information and registration, please visit: http://www.theseminargroup.net/seminar.lasso?seminar=11.WATOR

What: 20th Annual Oregon Water Law Conference
When: November 3 & 4, 2011
Where: Hotel Monaco, 506 SW Washington Street, Portland, OR 97204