Water Banking and Leasing in the West: Practical Pointers and Pitfalls

June 19-20, 2025

Presenter, Western Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference

Join Downey Brand counsel Ernest Conant on June 20, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. at the Western Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference for a panel discussion titled “Water Banking and Leasing in the West: Practical Pointers and Pitfalls.” Ernest will be speaking alongside Alyssa A. Moir of K&L Gates and Emily E. Lewis of Clyde Snow & Sessions.

This panel of Western water law experts will discuss the growing use of water banking and leasing as strategies to address water scarcity. Drawing on his extensive experience in California water law and his tenure as Regional Director of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Ernest will share insights into how water banking programs are structured, the legal frameworks that support them, and the challenges states face when implementing these tools. The panel will also highlight practical considerations and pitfalls stakeholders should be aware of when navigating these systems.

The agricultural industry in the western United States is uniquely impacted by changes and developments in state, federal, and international laws and policies. The Third Annual Western Water, Ag, & Environmental Law Conference provides relevant and timely legal research and information to attorneys, farm managers and rural appraisers, consultants, lenders, accountants, tax consultants, students, and other agricultural professionals involved in the western ag and food industries in the Western U.S. The conference is an excellent networking opportunity, as well as a premiere legal education opportunity tailored to the ag industry.

This conference will be held in person in Reno, Nevada. A livestream option is available. The main conference will feature 12 hours of continuing education, including two hours of Legal Ethics.

For more information and to register, please visit the event webpage.