Outstanding Stewards of America’s Waters Award

Applications for the OSAW 2025 Award will open Spring of 2025.

Outstanding Stewards of America’s Waters (OSAW) honors deserving organizations in the hydropower and marine energy industry for projects that exhibit exemplary operational, educational, historical, recreational, or environmental enhancement and stewardship.

Hydropower’s proven track record of providing a domestic source of clean, renewable, and reliable electricity for more than 125 years is no accident. It has taken hard work, perseverance, creativity, innovation, and a collaborative spirit. Today, these same values are also driving a new generation of hydropower projects that harness the power of oceans, tides, man-made conduits and other waterways, in addition to rivers.

How the OSAW Process Works

OSAW Timeline

OSAW Applications are currently closed.
You can start your application now and save it to be completed later!
Winners will be notified in June 2024.
The 2024 award ceremony will take place during the 2024 Clean Currents in Portland, Oregon (October 7-10)

Eligibility

Specific projects, programs, activities or events pertaining to hydropower in the United States or Canada that meet the three category criteria.
An application for a specific accomplishment may be submitted in only one category; however, an applicant may submit applications for multiple different accomplishments.
An accomplishment, or the intended effect or result of an accomplishment, must have occurred or have been substantially realized in 2023.

Judging Criteria

Challenge (30%)
Innovation (30%)
Results (30%)
WOW Factor (10%)

OSAW’s History

In 1994, the National Hydropower Association (NHA) created the Hydro Achievement Awards to recognize organizations and projects committed to excellence in the development and operation of hydropower. In 1999, NHA added the Outstanding Stewardship of America’s Rivers (OSAR) Report to profile the best examples of hydropower’s ability to generate clean, renewable, reliable and affordable electricity while protecting the riverine ecosystem.

Beginning in 2007, these two recognition programs were merged to more effectively provide recognition to deserving organizations and to reflect the changing nature of the hydropower industry, particularly the fact that hydropower can be used in various waterways. The new award program is called the Outstanding Stewards of America’s Waters (OSAW).