2012 John Cobourn 

The Carson Water Subconservancy District awarded John Cobourn the 2012 Andy Aldax Carson River Watershed Award for exemplary service in conservation and protection of the Carson River Watershed on January 18, 2012. This award was created in 2007 to recognize individuals for significant contributions in promoting and achieving the Carson River Watershed Vision Statement. Mr. Cobourn was nominated for his active involvement in the Carson River Coalition's (CRC) efforts to raise watershed awareness, improve Carson River water quality and protect the River’s channels and floodplain from urban and residential development through educational programs and publications. Mr. Cobourn works for the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and has been very active in the Carson River watershed since 1998. Mr. Cobourn helped organize the 1998 Carson River Watershed conference which established the concept of the Carson River Coalition. Since that time, Mr. Cobourn has continuously served on various Carson River Coalition committees and working groups. Mr. Cobourn authored/co-authored numerous publications about the Carson River and has helped to plan conferences, draft watershed plans, and obtain grant funding for watershed education programs. Most recently, he participated in river cleanup days, Project WET youth education, and dresses as a “watershed steward” in the Nevada Day CRC parade float. He has also served on the project team for Carson Clear Water Revival for the past two years, a program to reduce sediment flows of residential properties. Not only has he given his time as a water resource professional, he has also volunteered untold hours which benefited the Carson River watershed. We continue to be grateful for his many years of dependable and enthusiastic service to the entire Carson River watershed.

2011 - Debbi Waldear

Debbi Waldear received the 2011 Andy Aldax Carson River Watershed Award for exemplary service in conservation and protection of the Carson River Watershed.  Ms. Waldear was nominated for founding the Friends of Hope Valley, a group dedicated to the protection of Hope Valley for the sake of open space and recreation.  Ms. Waldear has been a tireless volunteer as an active member of the Alpine Watershed Group and regularly participates in the citizen water quality monitoring and bio-assessment programs, as well as the CWSD "Get On the Bus" tours and other community outreach programs.  We are grateful for her 20+ years of consistent, unpaid service to her community and the Carson River watershed at large. 

 

Linda Conlin received the 2010 Andy Aldax Carson River Watershed Award for exemplary service in conservation and protection of the Carson River Watershed.  Ms. Conlin was nominated for founding the River Wranglers, a program which promotes high school student mentoring to teach younger children about environmental stewardship in the Carson River watershed.  Ms. Conlin’s dedicated service over the past 15 years has helped to plan and organize various programs and events including Conserve and Celebrate the Carson River Workdays, Trout in the Classroom, Make a Splash with Project WET and Snapshot Day, as well as the Carson River Watershed Interactive Learning Center at the Northern Nevada Children’s Museum. 

Norm and Sue Frey received the 2009 Andy Aldax Carson River Watershed Award for exemplary service in conservation and protection of the Carson River Watershed.  Mr. and Mrs. Frey were nominated for their life-long professional and voluntary work with various community organizations focused on agriculture and conservation efforts.  The Frey family spent years working with Trust for Public Lands and several funding agencies to place a conservation easement on their property located on the Carson River in Churchill County.  For many years the Freys have invited schoolchildren to their property to educate them about the watershed, erosion control, wildlife habitat, and the importance of the river to the community. 

Andy Aldax has served as a CWSD Director since CWSD’s inception in 1959.  Throughout the years, he has also served on numerous other boards:

·         Carson Truckee Water Conservancy District Director since 1981

·         Carson Valley Conservation District Board since the 1960's

·         Farmer’s Home Administration Board

·         Farm Service Agency committees

·         Western Nevada Resources Conservation & Development Board for 30 years

 Board of the agency which was the predecessor to today’s Farm Service Agency

As a dairy farmer, Mr. Aldax has been a Farm Bureau member for many years and supported youth education about agriculture through 4H.  He was instrumental in work along the Allerman Canal and participated in the Virginia Ditch Company’s maintenance, repairs and efforts to transport water more efficiently.  He has spent his lifetime working to enrich his community of Carson Valley, serving as a School Board member, as an active member of his church, and as a Western Nevada Community College Douglas County Advisory Board member in 1999-2000, among many others.  Finally, Mr. Aldax shares a wealth of historically significant information about many Carson Valley projects and topics.  His contributions have been consistent and without fanfare throughout his lifetime, and he serves as an exemplary model for this award.