Water Agencies Recognized for Environmental Excellence

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire - December 2, 2009) - The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) today presented the City of Santa Rosa, El Dorado Irrigation District and Sonoma County Water Agency with the 2009 Theodore Roosevelt Environmental Award during ACWA's Fall Conference & Exhibition in San Diego.

"ACWA's member agencies are making significant strides in resource management," said ACWA President Glen Peterson. "The Theodore Roosevelt award honors these innovative projects that encourage responsible resource management and protection. The winners are among the best of the best."

The winner in Category One (projects under $100,000) was the City of Santa Rosa for its Aquatic Biomass-to-Fuel Project. The city, in collaboration with Sonoma State University, built two channelized aquatic scrubbers that use vegetation to remove nitrates and other nutrients from wastewater that can clog waterways and compete with native plants. The plants also create biomass, which can be harvested for anaerobic energy production.

The winner in Category Two (projects between $100,000 and $1 million) was El Dorado Irrigation District for its Caples Lake Fisheries and Habitat Preservation Program. When the lake needed to be drawn down in order to repair corroded dam gates, the district helped relocate more than 26,000 fish and released an additional 256,500 into the lake after the repairs were completed. Drinking water was delivered without interruption and flows for downstream habitat were maintained.

The winner in Category Three (projects over $1 million) was the Sonoma County Water Agency for its Summer Youth Ecology Corps. Working with 32 county agencies and community groups, the agency created a program that employed more than 300 teens and young adults in clearing invasive species and planting native plants on creeks and flood control channels. With channel-choking species removed, 10 miles of streambed flood control was improved, and the youths received valuable work experience and watershed stewardship education.

ACWA is a statewide association of public agencies whose 450 members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more information, visit www.acwa.com.

Contact Information: Contact: Jennifer Persike ACWA Director of Strategic Coordination and Public Affairs 916/441-4545 916/296-3981 (cell)