Image caption (left to right): Deven Metoxen, William Pocan, Alaina Noll, Wesley Johnson, Sylvia Cornelius, Eric McLester, Maureen Perkins, Jim Snitgen, and Nate Pelkey.
World Water Day, established by the United Nations in 1993, serves as an important reminder to raise awareness about global water issues and encourage action to address them. Naming a NEW Watershed Champion is part of NEW Water’s commemoration of World Water Day, through a celebration of individuals or organizations that have demonstrated exceptional efforts to improve water quality in our region.
Image caption (left to right): The 2026 NEW Watershed Champion award group image with NEW Water's Jeff Smudde, Director of Environmental Programs, and Erin Houghton, NEW Water's Watershed Programs Manager.
In 2014, NEW Water began a partnership with the Oneida Nation on shared watershed improvement efforts, in order to achieve permit compliance more cost-effectively. This mutually beneficial partnership continues to thrive, resulting in shared resources and improved area waterways.
“The Oneida Nation’s steadfast focus on environmental restoration is inspiring,” said Jeff Smudde, Director of Environmental Programs for NEW Water. “Through our partnership, we have been able to share ideas, information, and resources to more effectively protect our shared waterways for generations to come.”
Past NEW Watershed Champion Award recipients include Linda Gutske from the Green Bay Botanical Garden for water education efforts, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for leading PCB remediation efforts of the Fox River, Brickstead Dairy for conservation efforts on their family farm and many others. View the full list of NEW Watershed Champion Award recipients here >>