Session 1 of 4 of RMS' 2026 Hydropower Insights Webinar Series

Session Description

Join us for a tour of the updated Hydropower Licensing 101 Toolkit, now available on the River Management Society website, updated during the last year as a handy resource for hydropower practitioners by its content organization. Whether you are navigating the relicensing process or mentoring a colleague new to licenses and settlements, this toolkit will help you find information to become a confident hydropower practitioner, thanks to a collaboration between the River Management Society and partners.

Presenters will walk through resources organized in six categories:

• The Licensing Process
• Regulations & Regulatory Roles
• Facility Types: Operations & Economics
• Collaboration & Negotiation
• Natural, Cultural and Recreational Resources, and
• Community Engagement and Accessibility - This section features Enhancing Accessible Recreation at Hydropower Projects, a guide that offers expert guidance from reviewing design principles and legal requirements to incorporating accessibility consideration and design in the licensing process.

We will explore the updated Hydropower Reform Coalition website, where the same six-category "primer" is featured in its “Intro to Licensing” section. These pages are accompanied by a robust Resources Library that include books, articles, and videos for deeper learning.

Learning Objectives: As a participant, you will:

• Understand the introductory concepts of hydropower licensing through the Hydropower 101 Toolkit.
• Learn how to access and utilize reference materials for practitioners of all experience levels, including RMS’ River Training Channel (YouTube) and the comprehensive resource library managed by the Hydropower Reform Coalition.

Speakers

Anna Calderón Cleland - Hydropower Assistance Program & Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program Fellow, National Park Service Anna Calderón Cleland is a fellow working in both the Hydropower Assistance Program and the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program in the National Park Service, supporting technical assistance across the Pacific Northwest and other regions for both hydropower projects and community-based outdoor recreation and conservation projects. A 2023 graduate from Wellesley College, Anna majored in Geosciences and minored in Anthropology, with a special interest in hydrogeology & surface processes. Throughout her fellowships within these two programs, Anna has focused on accessible science communication through infographics and maps, community outreach and engagement, research and technical writing, and GIS database management. Anna is originally from Puerto Rico but grew up in Colorado, and has always enjoyed connecting her academic interest in earth sciences with her passion for exploring natural spaces – being able to climb an outcrop or kayak in a river and understand its system components brings her great joy.

Risa Shimoda - Executive Director, River Management Society Risa leads River Management Society programs and services to support federal and state agency staff, private industry, educators, river trails and watershed professionals and the publics they serve. Programs include the River Training Center which offers professional development workshops, networking and trainings for river managers; River Studies and Leadership Certificate offered at eighteen colleges and universities; the National Rivers Project, a national geospatial database of U.S. rivers categorized as water trails, whitewater rivers and national Wild and Scenic Rivers; summaries of hydropower licenses and settlements designed to make it easy for interested stakeholders to participate fully in relicensing processes; river planning tools such as the River Access Planning Guide and Hydropower Tool Kit. As a volunteer and executive for American Whitewater, Risa has contributed to dozens of hydropower relicensing and settlement processes.

Registration

This series is open to RMS members and non-members, and there is no charge to register. 

Watch the Recording

About RMS' 2026 Hydropower Insights Webinar Series

This free four-part series is designed for hydropower practitioners seeking practical knowledge and tools to navigate today’s hydro challenges. Each session highlights a different aspect of the hydropower landscape, from licensing to operational challenges, emerging technologies, and inclusive stakeholder engagement.

Participants will explore the updated Hydropower Toolkit, gain strategies for managing aquatic invasive species at hydropower facilities, understand the evolving role of energy storage in modern electric grids, and learn about the increasing participation of first nations in hydropower decision-making. Whether new to the field or a seasoned professional, attendees will leave with actionable insights, resources, and strategies to approach hydropower projects with confidence, collaboration, and a forward-looking perspective. Recordings will be sent to registrants.

Sessions in this series include:

• April 8: Hydropower Toolkits for Practitioners – Take Two! (12:00 - 1:30 p.m. ET)
• April 29: Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Management at Hydropower Facilities (12:00 - 1:30 p.m. ET)
• May 20: Energy Storage in Today’s Electric Grid (12:00 - 1:30 p.m. ET)
• June 10: Tribes: An Evolving Presence as Hydropower Practitioners (12:00 - 1:30 p.m. ET)