The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) invites nominations by Aug. 1 for its annual awards recognizing the best and the brightest people and projects in the ground water industry.

The three categories of recognition are NGWA’s Awards of Excellence, Outstanding Ground Water Projects and Divisional Awards. Award recipients will be recognized at the 2011 NGWA Ground Water Expo, which takes place Nov. 29-Dec. 2 in Las Vegas. Nominations can be downloaded from NGWA’s Web site (under the Programs/Services menu tab).

Following are descriptions of the Awards of Excellence:

• Ross L. Oliver Award – the most prestigious award given by NGWA, this is presented to a member who has made outstanding contributions to the ground water industry  
  
  
• M. King Hubbert Award – presented to a person who has made a major science or engineering contribution to the ground water industry through research, technical papers, teaching and practical applications
  
  
• Robert Storm Interdivisional Cooperation Award – presented to a person or team who, through their activities or written works, contributes to promoting collaboration, enhancing cooperation, and fostering community among all ground water professionals, and to advancing the mutual interests of all those interested in communicating the importance of the Earth’s water resources
  
  
• Standard Bearer Award – presented to a person for outstanding volunteer involvement in the legislative process on behalf of NGWA
  
  
• Life Member Award – presented to retired members, or members of retirement age, who have contributed a special service in the furtherance of the ground water industry or to NGWA
  
  
• Honorary Member Award – presented to persons of eminence from outside of the ground water industry who have contributed some special service to the industry or to NGWA
  
  
• Technology Award – presented to a person who has made a major contribution to the groundwater industry in the development of ideas, tools, and equipment; techniques of well construction; exemplary service to coworkers throughout the industry in sharing these developments; and/or performing service for the protection of the ground water, resource and the consuming public
  
  
• Individual Safety Advocate Award – recognizes an individual who has made a contribution to promote, improve, maintain, and enhance safety in daily working operations
  
  
• Equipment Design Award – presented to an individual or team for excellence in the design of equipment or a product that promotes safety as well as efficiency and ease of operation; this equipment or product must have been in production for no less than one year
  

The Outstanding Ground Water Project Awards are given in the areas of water supply, ground water protection and ground water remediation.

The NGWA divisional awards are as follows:

• John Hem Award (scientists and engineers)
• Keith E. Anderson Award (scientists and engineers)
• Manufacturers Division Special Recognition Award
• Supplier of the Year Award

For more information, visit www.ngwa.org, or call 800-551-7379.