Registration opens January 5, 2026 and closes February 27.

Date and Location: March 11–12, 2026, Minnesota North College - Rainy River campus, International Falls, MN

Registration cutoff deadline is February 27 – this is a hard stop due to catering requirements.

• Registration fee $135 USD.  Register and pay by January 31 to get the "Early Bird" rate of $125 USD. 
• Students free with valid student ID - Enter: STUDENT2026 in the coupon field ( choose "Individual Registration" button -- discount coupon is not available as part of group registrations).
• Registration includes lunch on March 11, the Foundation dinner reception on the 11th, lunch on the 12th, and refreshment breaks both days.
• Major purchase cards are accepted for online payment and is the preferred option.  If necessary, you may choose an offline "Pay Offline" option for Mail-in cheque.
  Sorry, but we are currently not able to accept Purchase Orders/Commissioners Warrants etc.

AmericInn Inn

2500 Keenan Drive, International Falls, MN (just 1 block west of the Minnesota North College — site of the Forum)

We have a group block reserved and / all nights March 9-13, 2026.

Group rate:  $110.00 USD per night plus taxes

Group cutoff: February 9, 2026 rooms not reserved by then will fall out of the block and will no longer be available for the discounted rate.

Reservations:  Book by phone direct to the property front desk 1-218-598-8510 or 1-218-598-8511 and quote the group code Water Conference 2026.

If both front desk lines are busy, you will get bumped to AmericInn's central reservations desk and you will need to request to be transferred back to the hotel front desk as Forum bookings can only be handled in-house by International Falls hotel staff. 

• Group blook rooms are held for any or all nights as you require for arrivals starting March 9 and departures by March 13.
• Cancellation policy for AmericInn:  Requires cancellation 24 hours prior to 3 pm of the booked date of arrival.  Any cancellations after this time will be charged for one night, room and tax charge.

The AmericInn has a limited number of rooms set aside at this rate for our Forum.  So...book early to ensure you get a room!

Reservations: 1-218-598-8510 or 1-218-598-8511  

Nominations are now open for the 2026 Kallemeyn Award. The 2026 Kallemeyn Award will be presented at the International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum during the Foundation reception (March 11 @ Thunderbird Lodge on Rainy Lake).

Nominations will be accepted until January 15, 2026.

To nominate someone, please send an email to Teika Newton, Executive Director at teikanewton@lowwsf.com.

The Kallemeyn Award is presented annually by the Foundation to an individual who has demonstrated in the Rainy-Lake of the Woods watershed:

• Outstanding professional achievement in scientific research or resource management.
• Significant contributions to collaborative and cooperative approaches to research or resource management internationally.

The Award will be presented at the International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum when there’s a deserving recipient as determined by the selection committee.

Nominations are now open for the 2026 Wilson Stewardship Award. The Wilson Award will be presented at the International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum during the Foundation reception (March 11, 2026 @ Thunderbird Lodge on Rainy Lake). 

Nominations will be accepted until January 15, 2026.

To nominate someone, please send an email to Teika Newton, Executive Director at teikanewton@lowwsf.com.

The Wilson Stewardship Award is presented by the Foundation to individuals, groups, or projects that have made significant contributions to environmental stewardship in the Rainy-Lake of the Woods watershed through:

• Education, outreach, civic engagement and participation in stewardship initiatives or program development.
• Projects or programs focused on protection, restoration, preservation or reduction of environmental impact and development of sustainable practices.

The Award will be presented at the International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum when there’s a deserving recipient as determined by the selection committee.

A big "thank you" to our 2026 sponsors. Hosting the Forum each year would not be possible without the support of many organizations, including:

• Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation
• Grand Council Treaty #3
• Consulate General of Canada in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Global Affairs Canada
• Minnesota North College - Rainy River campus
• St. Cloud State University
• International Joint Commission
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• Jefferson National Parks Association in cooperation with Voyageurs National Park
• Lake of the Woods District Stewardship Association
• Rainy Lake Conservancy
• Rainy Lake Property Owners Association
• Voyageurs Conservancy

To become a sponsor of the 2026 International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum, please contact:
Teika Newton, teikanewton@lowwsf.com

Organizing the Forum is a collaborative effort of many individuals and agencies, lead by the Foundation.  Many thanks to the 2026 Forum Organizing Committee, all of whom have helped organize and run this annual "meeting of the minds" in our watershed for many years.  

• Teika Newton, Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation
• Meghan Mills, Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation
• Jesse Anderson, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• Mike Kennedy, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• Andrew Paterson, Ontario Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks
• Chris Herc, Territorial Planning Unit, Grand Council Treaty 3
• Kayla Bowe, Red Lake Department of Natural Resources
• Ryan Maki, Voyageurs National Park
• Kelly Sjerven, Minnesota North College - Rainy River campus
• Diana Fred, Environment and Climate Change Canada
• Matt Julius, Minnesota St. Cloud State University
• Reuben Wagenius, Minnesota St. Cloud State University