Water Star Community Program

The Wisconsin Water Star Community Program rewards communities, who make a concerted effort to improve their community in five areas: surface water, groundwater, habitat, land use and recreation (human health).

A Water Star Community can receive one star (up to five stars) for meritorious actions in each of these areas, up to a total of five stars.

In a Five-star Water Star Community the elected officials, staff and citizens values, protects, restores and celebrates its lakes, rivers, wetlands, groundwater and shorelines.  Where they all do what it takes to keep our waters in good shape on private property and in the larger community.
 
Currently the Water Star Community Program is under development. We envision a check list of items that communities should/could do to receive a star in each area.

These actions would each have a point value assigned to it.  To receive a star the community would need to reach a certain number of points. Current thinking would have a community needing to add to those points on a periodic basis to a) either keep their star or b) receive a higher ranked star i.e. blue, silver, gold.

Communities will be honored annually for their achievements in these five areas.

Updates on the Water Star Program (blog, exit this site in new window)

Water Star Document Library

RESULTS

Communities and their citizens would not only have improved the environment for themselves, wildlife and communities downstream. The citizens would place great value and have an increased understanding of the components value. For example in the area of surface water:

• Citizens would understand that water is inseparable from the economy and their community.  Economic development or re-development that is good for the waters is also good for the local economy, and vice versa – they are inseparable.
• Citizens will value the magic and service that water brings to a community – natural beauty, drinking water, habitat for fish and wildlife.
• As a result of ongoing community education regarding best practices and state of the art water protection and restoration best management practices will be installed on private property resulting in less stormwater runoff and improved water quality.

NEXT STEPS

Steering Committee
A steering committee of Rock River Coalition, Town and Country R, C & D, River Alliance of Wisconsin, 1,000 Friends of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Association of Lakes representatives, University staff, DNR staff, and others with a vested stake in the five components will be developed. They will first develop a logistical strategy for program development including staff location, membership, decision-making methodology, and participation.

Staff
A part-time person was hired to staff the program. Responsibilities include facilitation of steering committee meetings leading to the development of program parameters including incentives for participation, and guidance materials. Additional tasks as funds are available are to establish pilot communities, design promotional materials such as signs for community gateway areas and developing all other partnerships, materials and resources necessary to move the program out of the pilot stage to the implementation stage.

CURRENT PARTNERS:

1,000 Friends of Wisconsin
MSA Professional Services
National Park Service
River Alliance of Wisconsin
Rock River Coalition Board and Stormwater Issue Team
Town and Country R, C & D
Wisconsin Association of Lakes