Olympia - Thurston County today announced that its natural resources program manager, Bryan Benjamin, received the WaterNow Alliance's 2026 Emerging Leader Award. The honor recognizes water professionals who have demonstrated passion, initiative, and promise in advancing clean water projects.

Benjamin led County efforts across several connected water initiatives:

• Protecting Water Availability in Fast-Growth Areas: Helped secure funding to protect water rights in the County's fastest-growing rural areas so new and existing residents, farms, and businesses can count on clean water without harming streams and wildlife.
• First-of-Its-Kind Restoration Fund: Led the creation of the County’s first local fund dedicated to stream restoration. By combining grant money with local fees, the fund ensures restoration projects are completed and maintained.
• Smarter Water Policies: Helped update the County's Comprehensive Plan with practical policies that protect rural water supplies, reduce conflicts during dry years, and support long-term resilience.
• Stronger Partnerships: Renewed commitments to regional watershed groups like the Chehalis Basin Partnership, Nisqually River Council, and Salmon Lead Entities, including improving staff engagement with Tribal governments during policy updates, honoring government-to-government responsibilities with consistent, meaningful input.

“This important recognition isn’t just about resource management - it’s about resource security. Our staff are protecing the community’s water and agricultural land assets now for community use,” said Thurston County Commission Board Chair Tye Menser. “There is a quiet but unsettling shift happening nationwide as essential natural resources are being consolidated for industrial and digital infrastructure. County staff are working to lock down these natural assets because no amount of money can replace them. These efforts ensure that Thurston County remains a viable place to live, farm and do business for generations to come.”          

“Bryan embodies the kind of forward-thinking, community-first leadership that is moving Thurston County toward more sustainable, resilient water management. His work ensures that whether you live in the rural or urban areas, you can count on reliable water for years to come,” said Thurston County Manager, Leonard Hernandez.

Benefits of water-related initiatives for Thurston County residents:

• Reliable water for homes, farms, businesses, and wildlife in a growing community. 
• Healthier streams for fishing, swimming, and wildlife – including salmon recovery.
• Resilient rural communities with better protection for wells and access to water for farms. 
• Working directly with Tribal governments to ensure they have a formal, ongoing role in land use and natural resources planning.
• Better value for taxpayer dollars through smart funding that stretches every dollar further.
• A stronger local voice in regional water decisions that affect our land, water, and quality of life.

When asked what drives his work, Benjamin pointed to a fundamental principle: clean water is a vital public resource, and the County has a unique opportunity to protect it, especially in rural areas and natural landscapes where water connects people, farms and ecosystems. "I'm proud to work on a team that grounds our decisions in reliable data and makes sure the community has a real say in how we care for our resources,” Benjamin said. “Local hydrology, or the movement of water through our landscape, is the foundation of our climate resilience because we can get water to people and natural systems when it's needed most. The County is in a unique position to manage this at the watershed scale." 

To learn more about the County’s many water-related and Community Planning projects visit the County website at ThurstonPlanning.org and to learn about WaterNow Alliance and their work to help communities, visit them at www.WaterNow.org