DAVENPORT, IOWA (October 19, 2026) — The annual Upper Mississippi River Conference is fifteen days away! You won’t want to miss this year’s lineup of speakers, ready to answer all your most pressing questions about water quality, AI, and the future of our river.
To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of this regional gathering, we have packed the event with must-hear speakers who are on the leading edge of research and innovation in their respective fields. All keynotes, break-outs, and panels will be held at the RiverCenter in downtown Davenport, a convenient walk to the city’s new Main Street Landing project. Ahead of the public opening, you can secure a spot for a sneak peek at the project re-shaping the waterfront, on Tuesday, November 3.
Continuing with the theme of riverfront design, Dr Aaron Thompson of Purdue University will open the conference with “Driving Discovery in Sustainable Landscapes,” which will frame our thoughts on the future of the riverfront moving into the day’s sessions. Wednesday’s main event will be a panel full of water-quality specialists with comprehensive knowledge on agricultural watersheds, and what is most important for the public to know in the face of our water quality crisis. After the panel, attendees will be treated to a field trip to Robb Ewoldt’s farm, and they will learn how he is combating environmental issues in Iowa through regenerative agriculture. Wednesday will end on a positive note, as we hear from Andrea Knepper, founder of Chicago Adventure Therapy. Her presentation, “Creating Access and Fostering Healing,” will bring us back to one of the most important conversations in environmental restoration: How can we help connect the next generation to their environment and foster stewardship?
Thursday will look at River Issues from a much different angle, transitioning from the researchers to the people working to bring information into the spotlight. A brand-new panel, “PRESSing Forward: Addressing Challenges in Modern Journalism,” will discuss the world of news media and how the way people stay informed is changing. This discussion will be crucial in discerning how to keep the public up to date about the environment.
The conference will wrap up with more presentations about our changing world, such as addressing the rise of artificial intelligence, and the organizations on the front lines of conservation, engaging the public to connect people across river systems.
Chris Jones, water-quality specialist and 2026 candidate for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, will close with a forward-looking message on what our river system could be. He will outline his ideas for “Challenging the Status Quo,” and restoring our river environment in the name of public and environmental health. Head to riveraction.org/umrc to get your tickets.
