AQUALIS and Green Bay's Green Stormwater Strategy recognized for engineering innovation and community impact

A citywide green stormwater infrastructure plan developed for Green Bay by AQUALIS has been named a finalist for the 2026 State of Wisconsin Engineering Excellence Award.

The City of Green Bay: City-Wide Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan addresses urban flooding and water quality by managing stormwater at its source. The plan mimics natural hydrology to capture, store, treat and gradually release runoff, reducing peak flows and relieving pressure on conventional storm sewer systems.

The Engineering Excellence Awards recognize projects for innovation, technical complexity, community impact and collaboration between engineers and clients.

Valerie Jooste, PE, director of public works for the City of Green Bay, said the plan goes beyond a standard planning document.

"The plan is detailed, actionable and adaptable — helping the city to evaluate targeted investments in flood resilience, water quality and environmental justice," Jooste said. "This project has positioned the City of Green Bay as an emerging statewide leader in resilient stormwater management and sustainability planning."

The plan provides a repeatable methodology that Green Bay can apply to development, redevelopment and capital improvement projects. It has already resulted in the installation of a permeable paver system within the city.

Kevin Hopkins, project engineer at AQUALIS, said the plan targets pollution sources feeding the Fox and East rivers.

"The plan reduces peak flows and improves receiving water quality in the Fox and East Rivers by identifying areas that are contributing larger amounts of pollutants and promoting the installation of green stormwater infrastructure," Hopkins said.

The finalist designation recognizes both the engineering work and the collaborative effort to translate watershed data into community-centered infrastructure solutions.