Annual AHS Symposium
September 9-12, 2026
High Country Conference Center | Flagstaff, Arizona
Join the Arizona Hydrological Society for its 37th Annual Symposium, bringing together hydrologists, engineers, scientists, water-resource professionals, students, consultants, policymakers, and other members of Arizona’s water community for three days of learning, collaboration, and connection.
The 2026 Symposium offers a broad look at the challenges and opportunities shaping water resources in Arizona and the Southwest. Through technical presentations, workshops, poster sessions, plenary discussions, field experiences, and social events, attendees will explore the latest developments in water science, technology, and policy while connecting with colleagues from across the region.
Whether you work in groundwater, surface water, watershed science, water resources management, hydrologic modeling, flood risk, environmental consulting, or water policy—or even a student building your career—the AHS Symposium is an opportunity to learn from your peers and be part of the conversation about Arizona’s water future.
Three Days of Learning and Connection
The symposium features a full program of technical sessions, oral and poster presentations, keynote and plenary speakers, networking opportunities, and informal gatherings designed to bring Arizona’s water community together.
Highlights include:
- Technical sessions covering current research, projects, and practices in hydrology and water resources.
- Keynote and plenary presentations addressing Arizona’s water resources, forested watersheds, water supply planning, and emerging challenges.
- Student poster presentations and awards, showcasing the next generation of water professionals.
- Professional development workshops offering hands-on training in groundwater and watershed modeling.
- Networking and social events, including the annual meeting, icebreaker, and AHS Casino Night fundraiser.
- Exhibitors and sponsors showcasing organizations, services, technologies, and resources relevant to the water community.
- Pre- and post-symposium field trips providing opportunities to experience Arizona’s water resources and hydrologic landscapes firsthand.
Featured Speakers and Discussions
The 2026 program brings together experienced professionals and engaging voices from across Arizona’s water community.
Keynote Speaker: Charlie Ester
Recently retired from Salt River Project after a 43-year career in water resource operations and planning, Charlie Ester will share reflections, stories, lessons learned, and insights from more than four decades working at the center of Arizona’s water-resource challenges. His presentation will highlight the forested watersheds of central Arizona and their importance as source waters for the Salt and Verde rivers.
The symposium will also feature a plenary panel on Thursday: Working towards desired conditions: 15 years of 4FRI – where are we now? as well as discussions on emerging issues on Friday: Water and Data Centers, an Arizona Perspective.
Thursday’s lunch program features Arizona author Jon Fuller, whose presentation, Thirty Days Below the Rim, draws on his experiences rowing through the Grand Canyon and explores the landscape, rivers, people, and personal perspective that emerge from a month-long whitewater journey.
Hands-On Workshops
The Symposium begins with opportunities for deeper technical learning through specialized workshops.
Introduction to Building and Running Groundwater Models
This half-day workshop provides an introduction to groundwater-flow and transport modeling, with MODFLOW as the primary modeling tool. Participants will work through example models and explore model setup, calibration, data extraction, visualization, particle tracking, contaminant transport, and other advanced topics.
The workshop is designed for practicing hydrologists, civil and water-resources engineers, and students looking to expand their modeling toolkit.
Distributed Watershed Modeling for Flood Simulation: Bringing Research Tools to Practice
This workshop introduces participants to tRIBS, a fully distributed, open-source hydrologic model, and compares it with the more traditional HEC-HMS approach.
Using a real-world Arizona case study, participants will explore how distributed modeling can improve understanding of flood behavior and how modern tools such as GitHub Codespaces and Jupyter Notebooks are making advanced modeling approaches more accessible to practitioners.
The workshop is intended for hydrologists, engineers, floodplain managers, consultants, and students interested in expanding their technical capabilities.
Research, Posters, and the Next Generation of Water Professionals
The Symposium provides a platform for students and researchers to share current work through poster presentations.
Topics represented in the 2026 poster program include stormwater recharge, groundwater and spring-fed wetlands, snow-dominated watersheds, hydrologic modeling, flood-risk mapping, drought propagation, and other emerging water-resource challenges.
Get Out in the Field
The learning doesn’t stop inside the conference center.
AHS is offering field-trip opportunities before and after the symposium, giving attendees a chance to explore Flagstaff-area water resources, hydrology, geology, and watershed systems.
The pre-symposium trip includes visits to Upper Lake Mary paired-watershed research projects and Flagstaff’s water, wastewater, stormwater, and recycled-water systems.
After the symposium, attendees can extend their stay for Campin’ in the Pines, a choose-your-own-adventure experience near Dogtown Lake. Options include a trip led by Erin Young, City of Flagstaff, exploring the Williams-area water resources, reservoirs, and wells, and multiple moderate and slightly technical hikes (approximately 4 miles total) to Williams-area springs, waterfalls, and other neat hydrologic features.
Connect With the Water Community
The AHS Symposium is about more than presentations.
Reconnect with colleagues, meet new professionals, and enjoy some of the social traditions that make the annual symposium special. The 2026 program includes a Wednesday evening icebreaker, the AHS Annual Meeting, and the 7th Annual AHS Casino Night and AHS Foundation Benefit.
Casino Night offers an evening of table games, drinks, hors d’oeuvres, a raffle, and an auction—all while supporting the work of the AHS Foundation. Full symposium registrations include admission, while single-day and student registrations can purchase tickets separately. Attendees must be 21 or older.
Join Us in Flagstaff
Arizona’s water challenges demand collaboration across disciplines, organizations, and generations. The AHS Symposium provides a place for that collaboration to happen.
Come to Flagstaff to learn, share ideas, reconnect with colleagues, meet the next generation of water professionals, and take part in conversations that will help shape the future of water resources in Arizona and the Southwest.
September 9–12, 2026
High Country Conference Center
Flagstaff, Arizona
Register for the 2026 AHS Symposium and be part of Arizona’s water community.
https://members.azhydrosoc.org/event-6657571