Irrigation Association names 2026 award winners

The Irrigation Association announced its 2026 award recipients, recognizing individuals and projects advancing irrigation technology, education and water efficiency.

• Steve Hoveln was posthumously named the Industry Achievement Award recipient for more than four decades of industry leadership, including work advancing rotor and valve technologies.
• Abed Masarwa, vice president and head of product management at Orbia Netafim, received the Innovator Award for developing precision irrigation technologies that improve water efficiency, labor and system performance.
• José Chávez, PhD, of Colorado State University, received the Excellence in Education Award for his work in irrigation education, research and extension.

Two projects earned Vanguard Awards. The Precision Irrigation Access Program received the agriculture award for helping growers overcome financial barriers to advanced irrigation technology. The 85-acre Frontier Family Park Project in Queen Creek, Arizona, earned the landscape award for incorporating smart controls, flow monitoring and other water-management technologies.

Recipients will be honored Dec. 7-10 at the Irrigation Show and Education Week in Las Vegas.