At a ceremony at Crystal Bridges Museum, Nabholz was presented the Golden Paddle Award in the construction category by the Illinois River Watershed Partnership. Each year, the Illinois River Watershed Partnership honors leaders in watershed stewardship and natural resource conservation. Six Golden Paddle Awards are presented annually to individuals or entities that exemplify excellent stewardship in the protection, preservation, and enhancement of the watershed.

Nabholz was recognized for water quality measures undertaken during construction of the Scott Family Amazeum and ultimately for building a project that supports long-term water quality. Our project team, led by Rob Dodd and John Strack, received the award.

Winners of the 2016 Golden Paddle Awards in the remaining categories were as follows:
Business: Anheuser-Busch
Conservation: Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission
Government: Grand River Dam Authority, Oklahoma
Technical/Research/Education: John Brown University
Volunteers of the Year: Tom and Lisa Edmiston