The International River Foundation, sometimes stylised as the International RiverFoundation, is an Australian environmental organisation focused on global river restoration and protection. It was co-founded in 2003 by Brisbane City Council, the Queensland Government, and the mining companies Thiess and BHP Mitsubishi Alliance.
Activities
International River Symposium
The International River Foundation hosts the International River Symposium conference (sometimes stylised as the "International Riversymposium") annually in Brisbane, Australia. The event is intended to promote knowledge exchange among global river practitioners. The first International River Symposium was held in 1998 as part of the Brisbane Festival, prefiguring the founding of the International River Foundation.
Brisbane Declaration
The 10th International Riversymposium and International Environmental Flows Conference was held in September 2007 and attended by over 750 delegates from more than 50 countries. The event resulted in a consensus document known as the Brisbane Declaration and Global Action Agenda, which is considered a significant landmark in setting international goals for environmental flows in freshwater-dependent ecosystems among scientists and water management practitioners.
Thiess International River Prize
The International River Foundation awards the Thiess International River Prize (sometimes spelled "Riverprize") for excellence in river restoration and management. The prize is presented from a slate of finalists during the annual International River Symposium. First presented in 1999 prior to the founding of the International River Foundation, the award is considered by some to be the most prestigious honor in the field of river restoration. The award comes with a cash prize of US$100,000 .
Year Recipient Principle waterway Locale 2025 Friends of the Chicago River Chicago River Illinois, United States 2021 Africa Sand Dam Foundation Thwake River Kenya 2019 James River Association James River Virginia, United States 2017 San Antonio River Authority San Antonio River Texas, United States 2016 Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper Niagara River New York, United States 2015 Lake Eyre Basin Partnership Lake Eyre Basin Australia 2014 International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine River Rhine Europe 2012 Willamette River Initiative Willamette River Oregon, United States 2011 Charles River Watershed Association Charles River Massachusetts, United States 2010 Environment Agency and Thames River Restoration Trust River Thames United Kingdom 2009 Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Lake Simcoe Ontario, Canada 2008 St. Johns River Water Management District St. Johns River Florida, United States 2007 International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River Danube River Europe 2006 Foreign Affairs Office of Chengdu Municipal Government Sha River China 2005 Communaite de Communes du Val de Drome Drome River France 2004 Siuslaw Institute Siuslaw River Basin Oregon, United States 2003 Alexander River Restoration Administration Nahal Alexander Israel 2002 Mekong River Commission Mekong River Southeast Asia 2001 Blackwood Basin Group Blackwood River Australia 2000 Grand River Conservation Authority Grand River Ontario, Canada 1999 Mersey Basin Campaign Mersey Basin United Kingdom
Asia River Prize Year Recipient Principle waterway Locale 2018 Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission Pasig River Philippines
Australasian River Prize Year Recipient Principle waterway Locale 2018 Whangawehi Catchment Management Group Whangawehi Stream New Zealand
Australian River Prize Year Recipient Principle waterway 2015 Ngarrindjeri Regional Authority Murray River 2013 Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority Glenelg River 2012 Condamine Alliance Condamine River 2011 Sunshine Coast District Council Rivers of the Sunshine Coast 2010 Derwent Estuary Program Derwent Estuary 2009 Oxley Creek Catchment Association Oxley Creek 2006 Torbay Catchments Group Torbay Catchment 2005 Murray Wetlands Working Group Murray Wetlands 2005 Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee Bulimba Creek 2004 Great Lakes Council Wallis Lake 2003 Hunter Catchment Management Trust Hunter River 2002 Merri Creek Management Committee Merri Creek 2001 Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority Goulburn Broken Catchment
European River Prize Year Recipient Principle waterway Locale 2022 Cumbria River Restoration Partnerships Programme Rivers of the Lake District National Park United Kingdom 2016 Segura River Project Segura River Spain 2014 Freiland Environmental Consulting Civil Engineers and Government of Styria River Mur Austria 2013 International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine River Rhine Europe
New Zealand River Prize Year Recipient Principle waterway 2015 Aorere River Initiative Aorere River
North American River Prize Year Recipient Principle waterway Locale 2015 Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper Buffalo River New York, United States
Twinning
The International River Foundation's Twinning programme encourages peer-to-peer learning by creating partnerships between river advocacy organisations in different countries. For example, the River Thames was twinned with the Ganges River in 2013.
References