International River Prize awarded to Willamette River, Oregon

Willamette teamEvery year since 1999, the International RiverFoundation (IRF) has awarded the Thiess International RiverPrize to the organization(s) who have developed and implemented outstanding, visionary, and sustainable programs in river management. Previous recipients from Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America have included large river systems (e.g., Thames River, Danube River, Mekong River) and small rivers (e.g., Alexander River, Charles River). The 2012 recipient of the International RiverPrize is the Willamette River Initiative, based in Portland, Oregon. Bill Dennison (IRF Director) will be attending their biennial Within Our Reach conference: "Making Progress Towards a Healthier Willamette," and along with Johnny Sundstrom (IRF Ambassador), will present a talk on the history and significance of the International RiverPrize. The conference will be in Portland, Oregon on December 11-12. A new European RiverPrize, sponsored by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River, has been announced for 2013.