Stormwater Sign Winners in the Fox-Wolf Basin

December marks the endpoint of Fox-Wolf’s Celebrating Green Infrastructure through Public Awareness grant. This grant and it’s primary components, was the brainchild of the NEWSC General Public Committee. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and the Northeast Wisconsin Stormwater Consortium (NEWSC) work to bring stormwater education and awareness to the public. NEWSC is a susidiary of Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and consists of communities working together for cost effective stormwater management and regulatory compliance. We believe that having informed residents will lead to cleaner lakes and rivers. This project aims to do this by building connections between municipalities, private stormwater Best Management Practice (BMP) owners, and the public. These signs were designed to educate residents on how these BMPs function, and how they work to send cleaner water to nearby lakes and rivers. Below are the two sign designs, for stormwater ponds and stormwater biofilters:

Nomination forms for privately-owned stormwater BMPs were submitted this past spring, and voting opened online in early July. The public voted for the top nine sign winners:

1. EAGLE POINT LIVING – Stormwater Biofilter (City of Appleton)
From their website, “Eagle Point is a high-end senior living community that is intricately designed to support various needs. Our genuinely passionate staff work hard to help our residents feel completely at home at all times.” Located on the Fox River, Eagle Point has a unique and beautiful stormwater biofilter onsite featuring many native plants.

2. FOX COMMUNITIES CREDIT UNION – Stormwater Pond (City of Oshkosh)
“On Monday, May 2, 2022, Fox Communities Credit Union opened its newest full-service branch at 1870 Oshkosh Avenue, conveniently situated off Highway 41.” The new location in Oshkosh has a beautiful new stormwater pond on site. This location makes for a great location for a new stormwater sign. The sign was installed along a public sidewalk next to the pond. 

3. HECKRODT NATURE RESERVE – Stormwater Biofilter (City of Menasha)
“Heckrodt Wetland Reserve is a 91-acre urban nature reserve with habitats including forested wetland, cattail marsh, open water, created prairie, open field, and upland forest.” Heckrodt established their “Nature’s Rain Garden” on site to showcase the benefits of native plants allowing stormwater runoff to infiltrate into the ground.

4. LAKE DENEVEU ESTATES – Stormwater Pond (Fond du Lac County)
Lake Deneveu Estates is a neighborhood of homes in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. Lake DeNeveu is a 80-acre lake located in Fond du Lac County. This neighborhood stormwater pond is less than a quarter mile from the Lake. Their sign was installed along a public trail next to the pond.

5. BOYS & GIRLS CLUB – Stormwater Biofilter (City of Menasha)
The Boys & Girls Club of Menasha is located in downtown Menasha at 600 Racine Street. This Club is the newest Branch location, built in 2015. To treat stormwater runoff from the site’s impervious surfaces, a well-maintained stormwater pond was established on the north end of the main parking lot. 

6. OSHKOSH CORPORATION – Stormwater Pond #1 (City of Oshkosh)
From their website, “At Oshkosh Corporation, we build some of the industry’s toughest specialty trucks and access equipment. And while machines are our business, our business is so much more than machines. It’s about building, protecting and serving communities across the world.” At their new office headquarters along the Fox River in Oshkosh, a new stormwater pond was developed to treat stormwater from impervious surfaces at the facility. Their sign was installed between the pond and the public roadway leading to the new headquarters.

7. RIVERHEATH – Stormwater Biofilter (City of Appleton)
From their press release, “The RiverHeath Community, located along the Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin has been recognized multiple times for the commitment to sustainable living practices across their properties. From a U.S. Department of Energy grant, to Wisconsin State designations, to the latest honor from the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, RiverHeath was designed with environmental stewardship at the forefront.” With several stormwater biofilters on site, an easily accesible public location was chosen for sign installation. 

8. COMMUNITY FIRST CREDIT UNION – Stormwater Pond (City of De Pere)
From their website, “We are a community of member-owners. People joining together to improve their financial well-being and to help one another is at the core of who we are, becoming a strong and meaningful resource for our members, their families and our communities.” Situated less than two miles from the Fox River, and mere feet from Ashwaubenon Creek, the De Pere credit union location has a well-maintained stormwater pond on site for capturing stormwater runoff.

9. WALMART – Stormwater Pond (City of De Pere)
The De Pere Walmart Supercenter is located just off of interestate 41, and is situated between Ashwaubenon Creek to the West, and the Fox River to the east. Due to the highly urbanized nature of the this area, there are several stormwater ponds near this location. Walmart’s educational stormwater sign was installed near the public-facing pond on the store’s north side. 

In addition to the stormwater signs, educational handouts were created
for public distribution.
Click the images below to access PDF versions of each handout.