Adirondack Watershed Impact Awards
2026 Adirondack Watershed Impact Awards
AWI is pleased to announce the recipients of the inaugural 2026 Adirondack Watershed Impact Awards: Guy Middleton, Executive Director of the Upper Saranac Foundation, and the Mirror Lake Watershed Association. The awards recognize exceptional leadership in protecting Adirondack waters through stewardship, science, advocacy, and action. AWI invited nominations from across the region to honor individuals and organizations making a lasting difference for Adirondack lakes, rivers, and streams. We thank everyone who submitted nominations and congratulate Guy Middleton and the Mirror Lake Watershed Association on this well-deserved recognition. These awards were supported by grant funding from Lake Champlain Basin Program/NEIWPCC with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Individual Watershed Impact Award: Guy Middleton
Guy Middleton is the Executive Director of the Upper Saranac Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to science-guided stewardship of the Upper Saranac watershed. He has decades of experience in environmental conservation and watershed management, having led one of the nation’s most successful aquatic invasive species management programs.
Under his leadership, the Foundation continues to implement innovative approaches to water quality protection, invasive species control, and shoreline conservation. Middleton plays a central role in overseeing long-term monitoring initiatives, directing public education and outreach programs, and ensuring the proper operation and accreditation of the Bartlett Carry dam. He also works closely with partners to promote responsible shoreline and land-use practices that protect the long-term health of the watershed.
Organizational Watershed Impact Award: Mirror Lake Watershed Association
The Mirror Lake Watershed Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the ecological health of Mirror Lake and its surrounding watershed, was selected for its collaborative, science-based approach to watershed protection. The organization has helped advance stronger stormwater regulations, address road salt pollution through partnerships and volunteer monitoring, and expand aquatic invasive species prevention efforts—demonstrating how local leadership can create lasting benefits for both Mirror Lake and the surrounding watershed.
