The National Ground Water Association announced a slate of winners of the group’s annual awards, which will be presented in December.

Top honors go to Ronald B. Peterson, a longtime member, who receives the Ross L. Oliver Award for “outstanding contributions to the groundwater industry.” The award was established in memory of Ross L. Oliver by his family. Previous recipients include Thomas Downey, CWD/PI (2012); Loyd Watson, MGWC (2011); and National Driller columnist John Schmitt, CWD/PI (2010).

Peterson works with Baroid Industrial Drilling Products in South Jordan, Utah.

This year’s Awards of Excellence go to:

• Chunmiao Zheng, Ph.D, M. King Hubbert Award for scientific contributions to groundwater knowledge. Zheng is a professor at the University of Alabama, and serves as professor, chairman and director of the Center for Water Resources at Peking University in China.

• Arthur E. Becker, MGWC, CPG, Robert Storm Interdivisional Cooperation Award. Becker works as general manager of the Environmental Drilling Division of SGS North America.

• Gregory D. Buffington, PE, and Evan Nyer, Life Member awards. Buffington works with Layne Christensen Co. out of Aurora, Ill., and Nyer retired from ARCADIS in Tampa, Fla.

• Steve Maslansky, Individual Safety Advocate Award. Maslansky is with Maslansky Geoenvironmental in Prescott, Ariz.

• Michael Gefell, Technology Award. Gefell works for ARCADIS in Lakewood, Colo.

• Wes McCall, Special Recognition Award. McCall is employed by Geoprobe Systems, Salina, Kan.

• U.S. Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Groundwater Protector Award. Sanders’ award was presented in February at NGWA’s 2013 Washington Fly-In.

• Carl Lee, Standard Bearer Award. Lee works with Milby Co. out of Elkridge, Md.

This year’s Outstanding Groundwater Project Awards go to:

• The city of Phoenix wins the Groundwater Supply Award for a project involving aquifer storage and recovery wells.

• ARCADIS receives the Groundwater Protection Award for its Blackfoot Bridge project, which involved numerical analysis of groundwater and surface water interference.

• ARCADIS also receives the Groundwater Remediation Award for protection of public wells near Superfund sites.

NGWA’s Divisional Awards go to:

• John Selker, Ph.D, and Scott Tyler, Ph.D, receive the John Hem Excellence in Science & Engineering Award, which recognizes scientific or engineering advances in groundwater knowledge. Selker is a professor at Oregon State University, and Tyler is a professor at the University of Reno, Nev.

• Brent Murray, PG, Keith E. Anderson Award, which honors contributions to NGWA’s Scientists and Engineers Division. Murray works with Environmental Quality Inc., Tequesta, Fla.

• Mike Benet, Manufacturers Division Special Recognition Award. Benet is employed by North American Specialty Products, Willow Park, Texas.

• Jim Paulhus wins the Supplier of the Year Award. Paulhus works with F.W. Webb, Cranston, R.I.

NGWA will present these awards at the group’s 2013 Groundwater Expo in Nashville, Tenn. Read more about the awards and see lists of past recipients at www.ngwa.org/awards.

 NGWA is a nonprofit that supports responsible development, management and use of water resources. It’s comprised of groundwater professionals ranging from contractors to equipment manufacturers to scientists and engineers. For more information, visit www.ngwa.org.