Surface Water Management (Awards prior to 2021, while a division of Public Works)

2020 Hermes Creative Awards - Platinum Winner
(Print Media, Design, Other - Sign)


  • Awarded by: The Hermes Creative Awards
  • Description: Smith Island Interpretive Sign
  • Recipient: Rebecca Lindahl, Graphic Designer

2020 American In-House Design Award


  • Awarded by: Graphic Design USA
  • Description: Smith Island Interpretive Sign
  • Recipient: Rebecca Lindahl, Graphic Designer
Smith Island Interpretive Sign

2020 Hermes Creative Awards - Gold Winner
(Print Media, Design, Other - Report)


  • Awarded by: The Hermes Creative Awards
  • Description: State of Our Waters Health Reports
  • Recipient: Deb Harvey, Graphic Designer

2020 American In-House Design Award


  • Awarded by: Graphic Design USA
  • Description: State of Our Waters Health reports
  • Recipient: Deb Harvey, Graphic Designer
State of Our Waters Health Reports

2020 Hermes Creative Awards - Honorable Mention Winner
(Print Media, Design, Other - Fair Guide)


  • Awarded by: The Hermes Creative Awards
  • Description: Lawn & Garden Fair Guide
  • Recipient: Deb Harvey, Graphic Designer
Lawn and Garden Fair Guide

2020 APWA National Project of the Year


  • Awarded by: American Public Works Association (APWA)
  • Description: Smith Island Estuary Restoration – The project was the culmination of more than 20 years of collaboration and engineering achievement, earning the county its first national APWA award in the Environmental category. The project re-established historic tidal marsh conditions to 378 acres of the Snohomish River estuary, which adds capacity to support 43,000 to 250,000 juvenile salmon reared annually. View complete report (PDF).
  • Recipients: Aaron Kopp, Project Manager/Engineer III, Surface Water Management; Steve Dickson, Director, Transportation and Environmental Services

2019 ACEC Best in State Bronze Award


  • Awarded by: American Council of Engineering Companies of Washington
  • Description: ACEC presented the Best in State Bronze Award for the Smith Island Estuary Restoration project, which project re-establishes tidal influences from Union Slough to 378 acres of critical salmon-rearing habitat. Snohomish basin estuary projects combine to be the largest in the Puget Sound area, totaling roughly 1,250 acres of restored estuarine habitat for salmon.
  • Recipients: Engineering consulting company Otak and Snohomish County Public Works
Smith Island photo

2019 Hermes Creative Awards - Honorable Mention Winner
(Print Media/Publications, Brochure)


  • Awarded by: The Hermes Creative Awards
  • Description: Smith Island Restoration Celebration Brochure
  • Recipient: Rebecca Lindahl, Graphic Designer

2019 American In-House Design Award


  • Awarded by: Graphic Design USA
  • Description: Smith Island Restoration Celebration Brochure
  • Recipient: Rebecca Lindahl, Graphic Designer
Smith Island Brochure

2019 Hermes Creative Awards - Gold Winner

(Print Media/Publications, Handbook)


  • Awarded by: The Hermes Creative Awards
  • Description: Flood Safety in Snohomish County
  • Recipient: Deb Harvey, Graphic Designer
Flood Brochure

2018 American In-House Design Award

  • Awarded by: Graphic Design USA
  • Description: Surface Water Management Newsletter
  • Recipient: Deb Harvey, Graphic Designer
SWM Newsletter

2016 American In-House Design Award

  • Awarded by: Graphic Design USA
  • Description: Savvy Septic Loan and Financing Brochures
  • Recipient: Rebecca Lindahl, Graphic Designer
Savvy Septic Brochures

Excellence in Restoration Award

  • Awarded by: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries
  • Description: This award recognizes Snohomish County for demonstrating great vision, commitment and leadership in advancing salmon recovery in the Snohomish River basin, one of the largest sources of salmon and steelhead in Puget Sound. Specifically, the Excellence in Restoration award acknowledges the County Council and the Executive Office for sponsoring the Smith Island Estuary Restoration project.
  • Recipients: Snohomish County, Snohomish County Council and Snohomish County Executive John Lovick
Smith Island Award

2015 Partner of the Year

  • Awarded bySnohomish Conservation District (SCD)
  • Description: Scott Moore received the SCD's "Partner of the Year" award for working with the SCD to facilitate shared usage of the county's Native Plant Nursery. His experience and expertise in stream restoration and nursery management were invaluable resources.
  • Recipient: Scott Moore, Watershed Steward
Scott Moore

2015 Environmental Leader of the Year

  • Awarded by: Snohomish Conservation District (SCD)
  • Description: Suzi Wong Swint received the SCD's "Environmental Leader of the Year" award for her decades of service as a volunteer board member for various local nonprofits and for her work with the county's watershed education program over the past 20 years.
  • Recipient: Suzi Wong Swint, Senior Planner

2010 Snohomish Conservation District Partnership Award

  • Awarded by: Snohomish Conservation District
  • Description: Honored for efforts to improve partnerships benefiting water quality and natural resource management.
  • Recipients: Debbie Terwilleger and Mike McGuiness
Suzi Wong Swint

2009 Storm Water Solutions - Top Project Award

  • Awarded by: Storm Water Solutions Magazine
  • Description: Multiple Low Impact Development (LID) improvements installed at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds as part of an LID demonstration project partially funded by a grant from the Dept. of Ecology.
  • Recipients: Gregg Farris, Project Manager, and Rebecca Lindahl, Graphic Designer
  • Additional information (PDF)
Storm Water Drainage Feature