The National Hydropower Association (NHA) celebrated the achievements of four organizations at Clean Currents 2024 by awarding them the Outstanding Stewards of America’s Waters (OSAW) Award. The OSAW Award, presented annually, recognize projects in the hydropower and marine energy sectors that demonstrate excellence in areas such as public education, environmental enhancement, historical preservation, and stewardship.

The 2024 OSAW Award winners are:

  • Foundation for Water and Energy Education (FWEE): Recognized in the Public Education category for its Hydropower and STEM Academy. Launched in 2016, the Academy provides secondary students with hands-on learning experiences and exposure to careers in the hydropower industry. The program is designed to address workforce challenges in the sector, helping students develop skills in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). With the support of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), FWEE expanded the program in 2023. Around 40-60% of participants identify as female or students of color. Surveys of participants show the Academy has influenced educational choices, with many students pursuing careers in hydropower or other clean energy fields.
  • Kleinschmidt Associates: Honoured in the Recreational, Environmental, and Historical Enhancement category for its Shikellamy Nature-Like Fishway Design and Construction project at the Adam T. Bower Memorial Dam on the Susquehanna River. Working in collaboration with multiple stakeholders, Kleinschmidt designed a 700-foot fishway to restore fish passage around the dam for the first time in over 50 years, reconnecting aquatic life to 18,000 square miles of river basin. The project, one of the largest nature-like fishways on the East Coast, balances ecological restoration with recreational and operational needs. “This innovative design accommodates a broad range of aquatic life, meeting the highest standards in fishway design,” said Kleinschmidt.
  • Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E): Recognized in the Recreational, Environmental, and Historical Enhancement category for its Land Conservation Commitment (LCC). The LCC conserved more than 140,000 acres of PG&E’s Watershed Lands, located across the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges. The project took nearly two decades to complete and focused on protecting open spaces, cultural resources, public recreation, and habitat conservation. PG&E also implemented a Youth Investment Program to connect underserved youth to the outdoors. The program provided over 270 grants and reached more than 260,000 young people, while also advancing racial justice and equity in the environmental movement.
  • Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Benton Conservation District: Honored in the Public Education category for the Salmon Summit program. The event, part of Washington State’s “Salmon in the Classroom” curriculum, allows students to release school-raised salmon into the Columbia River and learn about salmon migration and hydropower impacts. PNNL scientists provide insights into fish tracking and hydropower’s role in fish migration. In 2023, PNNL expanded the program by live-streaming the event, allowing schools over 300 miles away to participate. The live-stream doubled participation, engaging students from low-income communities and schools with below-average science and math scores. Post-event surveys indicated strong enthusiasm for the program, with 100% of teachers expressing interest in participating again.

In addition to the award recipients, the NHA recognized the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for its decades-long effort to restore the snail darter population, a species once listed as endangered. The snail darter’s recovery, which involved relocating the fish to other rivers and improving water quality, led to its removal from the endangered species list in 2022, making it one of only 55 species to ever be delisted. TVA’s work included installing oxygen systems, adjusting water flows, and maintaining aquatic ecosystems to support the species’ revival.

NHA President Malcolm Woolf praised the 2024 OSAW winners for their contributions, saying, “These projects highlight how the hydropower industry continues to demonstrate leadership in environmental stewardship and public education, while providing clean, renewable energy to communities across the country.”

The OSAW Awards reflect the ongoing efforts within the hydropower and marine energy industries to balance energy production with ecological, historical, and educational commitments, ensuring that these resources are responsibly managed for future generations.