diff --git a/google/cloud/bigquery/_helpers.py b/google/cloud/bigquery/_helpers.py
index 77054542a..bf0f80e22 100644
--- a/google/cloud/bigquery/_helpers.py
+++ b/google/cloud/bigquery/_helpers.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from google.cloud._helpers import _RFC3339_MICROS
 from google.cloud._helpers import _RFC3339_NO_FRACTION
 from google.cloud._helpers import _to_bytes
-import pkg_resources
+import packaging.version
 
 from google.cloud.bigquery.exceptions import LegacyBigQueryStorageError
 
@@ -41,31 +41,65 @@
     re.VERBOSE,
 )
 
-_MIN_BQ_STORAGE_VERSION = pkg_resources.parse_version("2.0.0")
+_MIN_BQ_STORAGE_VERSION = packaging.version.Version("2.0.0")
+_BQ_STORAGE_OPTIONAL_READ_SESSION_VERSION = packaging.version.Version("2.6.0")
 
 
-def _verify_bq_storage_version():
-    """Verify that a recent enough version of BigQuery Storage extra is installed.
+class BQStorageVersions:
+    """Version comparisons for google-cloud-bigqueyr-storage package."""
 
-    The function assumes that google-cloud-bigquery-storage extra is installed, and
-    should thus be used in places where this assumption holds.
+    def __init__(self):
+        self._installed_version = None
 
-    Because `pip` can install an outdated version of this extra despite the constraints
-    in setup.py, the the calling code can use this helper to verify the version
-    compatibility at runtime.
-    """
-    from google.cloud import bigquery_storage
+    @property
+    def installed_version(self) -> packaging.version.Version:
+        """Return the parsed version of google-cloud-bigquery-storage."""
+        if self._installed_version is None:
+            from google.cloud import bigquery_storage
 
-    installed_version = pkg_resources.parse_version(
-        getattr(bigquery_storage, "__version__", "legacy")
-    )
+            self._installed_version = packaging.version.parse(
+                # Use 0.0.0, since it is earlier than any released version.
+                # Legacy versions also have the same property, but
+                # creating a LegacyVersion has been deprecated.
+                # https://github.com/pypa/packaging/issues/321
+                getattr(bigquery_storage, "__version__", "0.0.0")
+            )
 
-    if installed_version < _MIN_BQ_STORAGE_VERSION:
-        msg = (
-            "Dependency google-cloud-bigquery-storage is outdated, please upgrade "
-            f"it to version >= 2.0.0 (version found: {installed_version})."
-        )
-        raise LegacyBigQueryStorageError(msg)
+        return self._installed_version
+
+    @property
+    def is_read_session_optional(self) -> bool:
+        """True if read_session is optional to rows().
+
+        See: https://github.com/googleapis/python-bigquery-storage/pull/228
+        """
+        return self.installed_version >= _BQ_STORAGE_OPTIONAL_READ_SESSION_VERSION
+
+    def verify_version(self):
+        """Verify that a recent enough version of BigQuery Storage extra is
+        installed.
+
+        The function assumes that google-cloud-bigquery-storage extra is
+        installed, and should thus be used in places where this assumption
+        holds.
+
+        Because `pip` can install an outdated version of this extra despite the
+        constraints in `setup.py`, the calling code can use this helper to
+        verify the version compatibility at runtime.
+
+        Raises:
+            LegacyBigQueryStorageError:
+                If the google-cloud-bigquery-storage package is outdated.
+        """
+        if self.installed_version < _MIN_BQ_STORAGE_VERSION:
+            msg = (
+                "Dependency google-cloud-bigquery-storage is outdated, please upgrade "
+                f"it to version >= 2.0.0 (version found: {self.installed_version})."
+            )
+            raise LegacyBigQueryStorageError(msg)
+
+
+BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS = BQStorageVersions()
 
 
 def _not_null(value, field):
diff --git a/google/cloud/bigquery/_pandas_helpers.py b/google/cloud/bigquery/_pandas_helpers.py
index 285c0e83c..2ff96da4d 100644
--- a/google/cloud/bigquery/_pandas_helpers.py
+++ b/google/cloud/bigquery/_pandas_helpers.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
     # Having BQ Storage available implies that pyarrow >=1.0.0 is available, too.
     _ARROW_COMPRESSION_SUPPORT = True
 
+from google.cloud.bigquery import _helpers
 from google.cloud.bigquery import schema
 
 
@@ -590,7 +591,14 @@ def _bqstorage_page_to_dataframe(column_names, dtypes, page):
 def _download_table_bqstorage_stream(
     download_state, bqstorage_client, session, stream, worker_queue, page_to_item
 ):
-    rowstream = bqstorage_client.read_rows(stream.name).rows(session)
+    reader = bqstorage_client.read_rows(stream.name)
+
+    # Avoid deprecation warnings for passing in unnecessary read session.
+    # https://github.com/googleapis/python-bigquery-storage/issues/229
+    if _helpers.BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS.is_read_session_optional:
+        rowstream = reader.rows()
+    else:
+        rowstream = reader.rows(session)
 
     for page in rowstream.pages:
         if download_state.done:
diff --git a/google/cloud/bigquery/client.py b/google/cloud/bigquery/client.py
index de259abce..8572ba911 100644
--- a/google/cloud/bigquery/client.py
+++ b/google/cloud/bigquery/client.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
 from google.cloud.bigquery._helpers import _get_sub_prop
 from google.cloud.bigquery._helpers import _record_field_to_json
 from google.cloud.bigquery._helpers import _str_or_none
-from google.cloud.bigquery._helpers import _verify_bq_storage_version
+from google.cloud.bigquery._helpers import BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS
 from google.cloud.bigquery._helpers import _verify_job_config_type
 from google.cloud.bigquery._http import Connection
 from google.cloud.bigquery import _pandas_helpers
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ def _ensure_bqstorage_client(
             return None
 
         try:
-            _verify_bq_storage_version()
+            BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS.verify_version()
         except LegacyBigQueryStorageError as exc:
             warnings.warn(str(exc))
             return None
diff --git a/google/cloud/bigquery/table.py b/google/cloud/bigquery/table.py
index 765110ae6..2d9c15f50 100644
--- a/google/cloud/bigquery/table.py
+++ b/google/cloud/bigquery/table.py
@@ -1565,7 +1565,7 @@ def _validate_bqstorage(self, bqstorage_client, create_bqstorage_client):
             return False
 
         try:
-            _helpers._verify_bq_storage_version()
+            _helpers.BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS.verify_version()
         except LegacyBigQueryStorageError as exc:
             warnings.warn(str(exc))
             return False
diff --git a/tests/unit/test__helpers.py b/tests/unit/test__helpers.py
index c62947d37..af026ccbe 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test__helpers.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test__helpers.py
@@ -26,11 +26,17 @@
 
 
 @unittest.skipIf(bigquery_storage is None, "Requires `google-cloud-bigquery-storage`")
-class Test_verify_bq_storage_version(unittest.TestCase):
+class TestBQStorageVersions(unittest.TestCase):
+    def _object_under_test(self):
+        from google.cloud.bigquery import _helpers
+
+        return _helpers.BQStorageVersions()
+
     def _call_fut(self):
-        from google.cloud.bigquery._helpers import _verify_bq_storage_version
+        from google.cloud.bigquery import _helpers
 
-        return _verify_bq_storage_version()
+        _helpers.BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS._installed_version = None
+        return _helpers.BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS.verify_version()
 
     def test_raises_no_error_w_recent_bqstorage(self):
         from google.cloud.bigquery.exceptions import LegacyBigQueryStorageError
@@ -53,10 +59,35 @@ def test_raises_error_w_unknown_bqstorage_version(self):
 
         with mock.patch("google.cloud.bigquery_storage", autospec=True) as fake_module:
             del fake_module.__version__
-            error_pattern = r"version found: legacy"
+            error_pattern = r"version found: 0.0.0"
             with self.assertRaisesRegex(LegacyBigQueryStorageError, error_pattern):
                 self._call_fut()
 
+    def test_installed_version_returns_cached(self):
+        versions = self._object_under_test()
+        versions._installed_version = object()
+        assert versions.installed_version is versions._installed_version
+
+    def test_installed_version_returns_parsed_version(self):
+        versions = self._object_under_test()
+
+        with mock.patch("google.cloud.bigquery_storage.__version__", new="1.2.3"):
+            version = versions.installed_version
+
+        assert version.major == 1
+        assert version.minor == 2
+        assert version.micro == 3
+
+    def test_is_read_session_optional_true(self):
+        versions = self._object_under_test()
+        with mock.patch("google.cloud.bigquery_storage.__version__", new="2.6.0"):
+            assert versions.is_read_session_optional
+
+    def test_is_read_session_optional_false(self):
+        versions = self._object_under_test()
+        with mock.patch("google.cloud.bigquery_storage.__version__", new="2.5.0"):
+            assert not versions.is_read_session_optional
+
 
 class Test_not_null(unittest.TestCase):
     def _call_fut(self, value, field):
diff --git a/tests/unit/test__pandas_helpers.py b/tests/unit/test__pandas_helpers.py
index aa87e28f5..0ba671cd9 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test__pandas_helpers.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test__pandas_helpers.py
@@ -40,11 +40,14 @@
 import pytz
 
 from google import api_core
+from google.cloud.bigquery import _helpers
 from google.cloud.bigquery import schema
 from google.cloud.bigquery._pandas_helpers import _BIGNUMERIC_SUPPORT
 
 try:
     from google.cloud import bigquery_storage
+
+    _helpers.BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS.verify_version()
 except ImportError:  # pragma: NO COVER
     bigquery_storage = None
 
@@ -1311,6 +1314,72 @@ def test_dataframe_to_parquet_dict_sequence_schema(module_under_test):
     assert schema_arg == expected_schema_arg
 
 
+@pytest.mark.skipif(
+    bigquery_storage is None, reason="Requires `google-cloud-bigquery-storage`"
+)
+def test__download_table_bqstorage_stream_includes_read_session(
+    monkeypatch, module_under_test
+):
+    import google.cloud.bigquery_storage_v1.reader
+    import google.cloud.bigquery_storage_v1.types
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_helpers.BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS, "_installed_version", None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(bigquery_storage, "__version__", "2.5.0")
+    bqstorage_client = mock.create_autospec(
+        bigquery_storage.BigQueryReadClient, instance=True
+    )
+    reader = mock.create_autospec(
+        google.cloud.bigquery_storage_v1.reader.ReadRowsStream, instance=True
+    )
+    bqstorage_client.read_rows.return_value = reader
+    session = google.cloud.bigquery_storage_v1.types.ReadSession()
+
+    module_under_test._download_table_bqstorage_stream(
+        module_under_test._DownloadState(),
+        bqstorage_client,
+        session,
+        google.cloud.bigquery_storage_v1.types.ReadStream(name="test"),
+        queue.Queue(),
+        mock.Mock(),
+    )
+
+    reader.rows.assert_called_once_with(session)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(
+    bigquery_storage is None
+    or not _helpers.BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS.is_read_session_optional,
+    reason="Requires `google-cloud-bigquery-storage` >= 2.6.0",
+)
+def test__download_table_bqstorage_stream_omits_read_session(
+    monkeypatch, module_under_test
+):
+    import google.cloud.bigquery_storage_v1.reader
+    import google.cloud.bigquery_storage_v1.types
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_helpers.BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS, "_installed_version", None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(bigquery_storage, "__version__", "2.6.0")
+    bqstorage_client = mock.create_autospec(
+        bigquery_storage.BigQueryReadClient, instance=True
+    )
+    reader = mock.create_autospec(
+        google.cloud.bigquery_storage_v1.reader.ReadRowsStream, instance=True
+    )
+    bqstorage_client.read_rows.return_value = reader
+    session = google.cloud.bigquery_storage_v1.types.ReadSession()
+
+    module_under_test._download_table_bqstorage_stream(
+        module_under_test._DownloadState(),
+        bqstorage_client,
+        session,
+        google.cloud.bigquery_storage_v1.types.ReadStream(name="test"),
+        queue.Queue(),
+        mock.Mock(),
+    )
+
+    reader.rows.assert_called_once_with()
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "stream_count,maxsize_kwarg,expected_call_count,expected_maxsize",
     [
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_client.py b/tests/unit/test_client.py
index 2be8daab6..6b62eb85b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_client.py
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ def test_ensure_bqstorage_client_obsolete_dependency(self):
         client = self._make_one(project=self.PROJECT, credentials=creds)
 
         patcher = mock.patch(
-            "google.cloud.bigquery.client._verify_bq_storage_version",
+            "google.cloud.bigquery.client.BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS.verify_version",
             side_effect=LegacyBigQueryStorageError("BQ Storage too old"),
         )
         with patcher, warnings.catch_warnings(record=True) as warned:
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ def test_ensure_bqstorage_client_existing_client_check_fails(self):
         mock_storage_client = mock.sentinel.mock_storage_client
 
         patcher = mock.patch(
-            "google.cloud.bigquery.client._verify_bq_storage_version",
+            "google.cloud.bigquery.client.BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS.verify_version",
             side_effect=LegacyBigQueryStorageError("BQ Storage too old"),
         )
         with patcher, warnings.catch_warnings(record=True) as warned:
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_magics.py b/tests/unit/test_magics.py
index 5e9bf28a9..d030482cc 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_magics.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_magics.py
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ def test__make_bqstorage_client_true_obsolete_dependency():
     )
 
     patcher = mock.patch(
-        "google.cloud.bigquery.client._verify_bq_storage_version",
+        "google.cloud.bigquery.client.BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS.verify_version",
         side_effect=LegacyBigQueryStorageError("BQ Storage too old"),
     )
     with patcher, warnings.catch_warnings(record=True) as warned:
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_table.py b/tests/unit/test_table.py
index b30f16fe0..37650cd27 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_table.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_table.py
@@ -1889,7 +1889,7 @@ def test__validate_bqstorage_returns_false_w_warning_if_obsolete_version(self):
         iterator = self._make_one(first_page_response=None)  # not cached
 
         patcher = mock.patch(
-            "google.cloud.bigquery.table._helpers._verify_bq_storage_version",
+            "google.cloud.bigquery.table._helpers.BQ_STORAGE_VERSIONS.verify_version",
             side_effect=LegacyBigQueryStorageError("BQ Storage too old"),
         )
         with patcher, warnings.catch_warnings(record=True) as warned: