CWC Awards and Honors
The Wayne N. Aspinall “Water Leader of the Year” Award
Every year since 1980, the Colorado Water Congress has presented this
prestigious award to an individual Coloradan whose courage and dedication,
knowledge and strong leadership in the development, protection and
preservation of Colorado’s water have long been demonstrated to our state’s
water community - a reflection of those attributes so clearly possessed of
Wayne N. Aspinall. The late Mr. Aspinall, a lawyer and former longtime
member of the U. S. House of Representatives, remains one of the most
influential water leaders in Colorado’s history.
From an annual field of nominees, the recipient of the Aspinall Award is
selected after a rigorous two-step, committee-based evaluation process of
each candidate. The Award is presented at a special luncheon ceremony during
the CWC Annual Convention each January.
A copy of every recipient’s “Wayne N. Aspinall Water Leader of the Year”
Award, consisting of a striking commemorative plaque and a specially
commissioned original painting, is on display in the CWC’s Denver offices.
Honorary Life Membership
The Colorado Water Congress Board of Directors determines recipients of
Honorary Life Membership. Honorees receive dues-free membership and waived
conference registration fees for the balance of their lives. Aspinall Award
recipients are automatically conferred this honor, and in a typical year
there are one or two additional CWC Life Members selected by the Board.