Awards and Scholarships


Each year, AWRA recognizes individuals, organizations, projects, state sections, and student chapters for outstanding leadership and service in the water resources profession. Individuals and organizations have an opportunity to nominate candidates in 10 different categories each spring, with awards presented during AWRA’s annual conference in the fall. AWRA membership is not required to make a nomination or receive an award except for the Richard A. Herbert Memorial Scholarship and Fellow Member Award.

  • Applications for the Richard A. Herbert Memorial Scholarship are due April 17, 2020.
  • Nominations for all other awards are due by May 8, 2020.
  • Announcements for all awards and scholarship will take place in May 2020.
  • The nomination period for the 2020 David R. Maidment Award for Exemplary Contributions to Water Resources Data is closed. The next nomination process for this award will begin in the fall of 2021.

National and International Awards

A. Ivan Johnson Award For Young Professionals
This award recognizes a young professional who has demonstrated outstanding achievements, talents, and leadership potential through their professional activities related to water resources.
David R. Maidment Award for Exemplary Contributions to Water Resources Data
This award (formerly the Award for Exemplary Contributions to Water Resources Data) was established in 2008 and is presented to an individual or institution achieving a status of eminence in some aspect of the provision of data describing the nation’s waters.
Henry P. Caulfield, Jr., Medal For Exemplary Contributions To National Water Policy
This award recognizes an individual who has achieved a status of eminence in shaping national water policy.
Icko Iben Multidisciplinary Communications Award
This award recognizes persons who have made outstanding contributions in promoting communication among the various disciplines concerned with water resources issues.
Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Award
This award recognizes outstanding IWRM teamwork on a complex water resources effort.
Mary H. Marsh Medal For Exemplary Contributions To The Protection And Wise Use Of The Nation's Water Resources
This award recognizes an individual who has achieved a status of eminence in some aspect of public service related to water resources education and/or management.
Sandor C. Csallany Institutional Award For Exemplary Contributions To Water Resources Management
This award recognizes a water resources institution that has achieved a status of eminence in some aspect of managing the nation’s waters.
William R. "Randy" Boggess Award
This award was established by AWRA in 1973 to honor the author of the best paper published in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association during the previous year.
William C. Ackermann Medal For Excellence In Water Management
This award recognizes an individual who has achieved a status of eminence in the design and/or implementation of exemplary water management practices at the state, regional, or local government level.

Scholarships and Organizational Awards

Richard A. Herbert Memorial Scholarship
Scholarships are available to undergraduate and graduate student members of AWRA who are pursuing research in any aspect of water resources.
Fellow Member Award
This award recognizes an AWRA member with an eminent record in some branch of water resources science and technology.
Honorary Member Award
This award recognizes an individual who has obtained acknowledged eminence in a branch of water resources science and technology.
Outstanding State Section Award
This award recognizes the State Section that has provided outstanding service in the furtherance of the Association’s objectives.
N. Earl Spangenberg Outstanding Student Chapter Award
This award recognizes the Student Chapter that has provided outstanding service in the furtherance of the Association's objectives.

WHAT CAN MEMBERSHIP DO FOR YOU?

If you actively engage in our community, your career and organization will benefit. We offer multiple opportunities for engagement via conferences, social media, webinars, committees and publications.

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