Drôme River Valley wins International Thiess Riverprize
The
Drôme River Valley in southern France has won the prestigious 2005 International Thiess River
prize for its restoration and management efforts. The AUD$150,000 International Thiess River
prize, the richest river prize in the world, was awarded during the
8th International Riversymposium in Brisbane, Australia, involving more than 450 delegates from 30 countries. The Drôme River, once too polluted for swimming and sucked dry by agricultural irrigation, has seen significant improvement in its water quality, wetland biology, and flood risks. The key to the Drôme River Valley success was a collaborative partnership of local governments working with community groups and local stakeholders to produce a model for European river management. Monitoring river flows and upgrading sewage treatment plants over the last twenty years have ensured sustainable development of the Drôme River Valley. UMCES Vice President for Science Applications, Bill Dennison, was one of the international judging panel selecting the Drôme River as this year's winner.
