James R. Compton River Achievement Award

In 2001, to celebrate his dedication to conserving our nation's rivers, River Network created an award in honor of James "Jim" Compton.

Jim was a remarkable man. Although he served as a decorated Marine Corps Platoon Leader at Iwo Jima, he worked all his life for world peace. Over the years, he emerged as one of the outstanding environmentalists in California and the United States. As President of the Compton Foundation, his commitment to river conservation led to the research and development of a new, long-term strategy to protect salmon; encouraged environmentally sound dam operations and deregulation incentives; and assisted local river and watershed groups across the country to achieve their restoration and protection goals through the powerful but under-used tool: The Clean Water Act of 1972.

Through his personal and professional contributions, Jim touched the lives of thousands of river activists and community members. Those whom we honor in his name display a similar amount of passion, respect and actions toward the protection of our rivers. Jim passed away in the spring of 2006; he will dearly be missed, but never forgotten.

View our past J. Compton and River Hero Awardees