Advancing Renew the Blue action priorities
The Renew the Blue Council – convened in early 2026 – is a coalition of municipal, governmental, and nonprofit organizations committed to protecting and restoring the Yahara Watershed. Convened and facilitated by Clean Lakes Alliance, the Council uses a Collective Impact model to build upon years of community-driven planning and science-based action. This effort expands our region’s cross-sector alliance to keep our lakes healthy and our beaches open.
RENEW THE BLUE: A Community Guide for Cleaner Lakes & Beaches (2022) identifies the 12 highest-impact actions for improving water quality. These strategies are grounded in science, shaped by community values, and driven by the belief that everyone has a role to play in watershed stewardship. The Council was created to coordinate and accelerate efforts to implement these actions.
As the backbone organization for the Council, Clean Lakes Alliance designs and facilitates its ongoing work and communications, provides the necessary forums for collaboration, manages external contracts, and ensures that effective governance and decision-making frameworks are in place.
Participating organizations sign a Letter of Intent and commit to financially supporting the Council’s administration and becoming a Clean Lake Alliance Member. This commitment includes the sharing of data, resources, and participation to support the work and goals of the Council. Read the entire Renew the Blue Council Charter.
12 highest-impact actions
Participating organizations (last updated: 2/26/26)
- Capital Area Regional Planning Commission (CARPC)
- City of Fitchburg
- City of Madison
- City of Middleton
- City of Monona
- City of Stoughton
- City of Sun Prairie
- Clean Lakes Alliance
- Dane County
- Dane County Cities & Villages Association
- Dane County Farmers Union
- Destination Madison
- Downtown Madison, Inc.
- Friends of Lake Kegonsa Society (FOLKS)
- Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy
- Friends of San Damiano
- Friends of the Yahara River Headwaters
- Groundswell Conservancy
- Ho-Chunk Nation
- Lake Waubesa Conservation Association
- Madison Area Builders Association
- Madison LakeWay Partners
- Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District
- Olbrich Botanical Gardens
- REALTORS® Association of South Central Wisconsin
- Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance
- Sustain Dane
- Town of Dunn
- Town of Westport
- UW – Madison Arboretum
- UW – Madison Center for Limnology
- UW – Madison Division of Extension – NRI
- UW – Madison Nelson Institute for Env. Studies
- Village of DeForest
- Village of Maple Bluff
- Village of McFarland
- Village of Shorewood Hills
- Village of Waunakee
- Village of Windsor
- Wisconsin Department of Ag., Trade, and Consumer Protection
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- Wisconsin EcoLatinos
- Yahara Lakes Association
- Yahara Pride Farms
- Yahara WINS
Renew the Blue Council 2026 meeting schedule
| Date | Time | Location |
| Wednesday, February 4, 2026 | 2-3:40 p.m. | The Edgewater |
| Wednesday, March 11, 2026 | 2-3:40 p.m. | East Side Club |
| Wednesday, May 13, 2026 | 9:45-11 a.m. | The Edgewater |
| Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | 2-3:40 p.m. | East Side Club |
| Wednesday, December 9, 2026 | 2-3:40 p.m. | East Side Club |
Contact Us
To learn how you can get involved, stay connected, or support the Council’s ongoing work, please contact our Watershed Programs Specialist at mike@cleanlakesalliance.org
Thank you, Madison Community Foundation!
Clean Lakes Alliance is honored to receive a generous grant from Madison Community Foundation’s Community Impact Fund to support our work as the backbone organization of the Renew the Blue Council. These funds help ensure the necessary capacity to successfully launch the Council and create a self-sustaining regional coalition.
We are also grateful for the additional grant support awarded through Yahara WINS, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and The Evjue Foundation. The Council is made possible because of the financial assistance from our grant providers and the annual contributions of participating organizations.
