The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gave 76-year-old Byron Clements its River Guardian Award.
Clements' family runs a fishing barge below Lock and Dam No. 8. Over the years he has rescued capsized boaters, shored up dikes, stopped a runaway barge and raised a 35-foot cruiser that would have leaked 300 gallons of fuel and oil into the river.
Besides running his fishing business, Clements has worked as a licensed river boat captain.

