The Kings River Experimental Watershed (KREW) Group led by Dr. Carolyn Hunsaker form the Pacific Southwest Research Station are recognized for their role in developing a sustained watershed monitoring network in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Nearly 50% of the watersheds and completely 9 years of peer reviewed pre-monitoring that helped implement broad scale thinning and prescribed fire treatments in fire threatened California. Partners included USGS Research, numerous universities, and state and private industry. Their research is followed by National Science Foundation for Critical Zone Observatories and results are providing needed support for managers in the semi-arid Southwest mountain regions.

The nomination text acknowledged several partners: "Group participants in Kings River Experimental Watersheds that have been instrumental to designing and/or implementing research project and treatments since 2000:  Sierra National Forest; Pacific Southwest Region; University of Nevada, Reno; University of California, Santa Barbara; Southern California Edison, and USGS Water Resources, Sacramento"

The “Jim Sedell Research Achievement” honors science leadership, accomplishment, and intellectual curiosity contributing to freshwater ecology, fisheries and watershed management.  Weaves new knowledge discovery or synthesis into watershed research or management, more fully developing the story of why we should care about aquatic resources.