When River Management Creates Legal Ripples: Lessons from Ideker Farms

August 26, 2026

Speaker, National Waterways Conference Annual Meeting 2026

Join Downey Brand partner Scott Shapiro on Wednesday, August 26, from 9:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. at the National Waterways Conference 2026 Annual Meeting in Moline, Illinois, for a presentation titled “When River Management Creates Legal Ripples: Lessons from Ideker Farms.”

Ideker Farms, Inc. v. United States began with recurring flooding along the Missouri River, but the legal questions raised by the case extend well beyond flood damage. At its core, the case examines what happens when federal water management decisions, made across multiple project purposes and legal obligations, create lasting impacts for private property owners and surrounding communities.

Scott will provide a plain-English overview of the case and explore its broader implications for water resources infrastructure leaders. The presentation will also consider what the case may mean for agencies, non-federal sponsors, landowners, and others working within complex water systems, where every operational decision can create far-reaching legal and practical ripple effects.

Held August 25–27 at Vibrant Arena at The Mark, the National Waterways Conference 2026 Annual Meeting will bring together water and waterways leaders, federal partners, and industry stakeholders for three days of policy discussions, networking, and on-the-water learning along the Upper Mississippi River system.

For more information and to register, visit the event website.