CFA Home

Environmental Loans

Grants

Municipal Dam Grants

Please Note - A correction has been made to the grant application as of 9/15/09. Line 5 of the Estimated Eligible Project Costs should have read "25% OF NEXT $800,000 OF PROJECT", not 25% of $400,000. If you have downloaded and printed the grant application prior to 9/15/09, please note this correction. 

(ss. 31.19(5) and 31.385, Wis. Stats.; ch. NR 335, Wis. Admin. Code)

The 2009-2011 Biennial Budget bill made $4.0 million in new funding available for Dam Safety Aid programs. The DNR completed emergency revisions to its administrative rules and application materials to be consistent with the new law. The emergency rules were passed by the Natural Resources Board on August 12, 2009 and became effective upon publication on August 28, 2009.

With the emergency rule in place, the department can accept applications and begin the process to select Municipal Dam Grant projects. $3.5 million is available for municipal dam owners to repair, reconstruct or remove their dams. Application materials are now on-line and the application deadline is October 15, 2009.

If you are interested in applying for a dam grant, you need to start the process immediately. Some of the attachments take time to prepare or secure so it is in your best interest to start as soon as possible. If you are successful in obtaining a grant under the revised program, reasonable engineering costs associated with studies necessary for the application will be grant eligible.

Grant Information

The grant program provides a cost-sharing opportunity for eligible engineering and construction costs for dam maintenance, repair, modification, or abandonment and removal up to a project maximum of $400,000. Funding sources outside the applicant’s own resources can now be used toward the local match for this grant.

For dam repair/reconstruction/modification projects, grant awards will cover:

  • 50% of the first $400,000 of eligible project costs

  • 25% of the next $800,000 of eligible project costs

For dam abandonment and removal projects, the grant will cover 100% of the first $400,000 of eligible project costs.

Dam owners may only submit one grant application per dam during any one grant cycle.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Project Sponsors: Cities, towns, villages, counties, tribes, and public inland lake districts may apply for grants to conduct dam maintenance, repair, modification, or abandonment and removal.

Ownership: Applicant must own the entire dam or have permanent legal access for operation and maintenance to the specific piece of land on which the dam is physically located.

Eligible Projects: Eligible projects include dam repair, reconstruction, modification, or abandonment and removal to improve the safety of the dam. The owner must have requested, in writing, grant assistance under s. 31.185, Wis. Stats. within 6 months of the inspection directives or order that required the dam safety project.

Application Information:

Applications must be received at the DNR Central Office by October 15, 2009, to be considered for funding. Applications received after October 15th will not be considered for funding in 2009. Please allow transit time for your application so that it is received by the department by the application deadline. Faxed applications will not be accepted.

Applications will be scored based on program criteria identified in the application materials. Applications will be ranked based on score. Beginning at the top of the ranked list, DNR will award grants until all funds are exhausted. The DNR expects to establish the priority ranking list and make grant commitments by December 1, 2009.

Projects on the rank list, but not funded, will be considered in subsequent grant funding cycles should additional funds be made available by the Legislature or returned from completed projects.

Application Materials:

Grant applications must be submitted on the following forms:

Complete applications will require the materials listed below. Caution: Some of these are time-consuming to prepare. Starting early will help assure that your application is complete by the deadline.

For all dam projects

  • Resolutions by the governing body of the municipality, tribe or Lake District, designating an authorized representative and agreeing to pay the local share of the project costs. The language in the sample resolution is a composite of successful resolutions from past applicants and new statutory language. Applicants may use it as a template for their grant resolution.
  • Proof of ownership. The applicant needs to be the owner of the dam. Prior to receiving a grant award the applicant will need to show they have ownership or permanent legal access to the specific piece(s) of land that contain the dam. For the purpose of the application the owner should provide a site layout that shows the dam in relation to property lines, the deed for the property on which the dam is located, and ownership information for adjacent parcels.
  • Proof that you requested assistance under this program within 6 months of receiving the inspection directive or order which prompts the need for the dam safety project. Since this grant program has been unfunded for so long we realize many owners will not be able to meet this statutory requirement. Please refer to the attached document for a step-by-step process to allow you to meet this eligibility requirement. Requesting grant assistance.

For dams to be repaired or reconstructed

For dams to be removed

  • A project description and cost estimate for the dam removal with sufficient detail to determine which costs will be grant eligible.
  • An application under s. 31, Wis Stats. for a permit for approval to abandon and remove the dam. The abandonment application should be completed and submitted prior to or with the grant application.
  • A delineation of the 100-year floodplain upstream of the dam with the dam removed and materials necessary for inclusion in a zoning ordinance.*

* These studies need to be conducted to the standards of chs. NR 333 and NR 116, Wis. Admin. Codes. We strongly recommend that your engineering consultant contact Bill Sturtevant (contact information below). Bill can be also be contacted for information on how to hire a consultant to do this work.

Funding Priority:

Funding priority will be determined by a combination of the following. The full ranking criteria are available on the application form or in the “unofficial” text of ch. NR 335, Wis. Adm. Code as revised in the emergency rule.

  • Dam size.
  • Dam hazard rating based on existing land use.
  • Land use controls in place in the hydraulic shadow.
  • Dam repair costs.
  • Financial need of the municipality.

NR 335, Emergency Revisions:

A copy of the approved Board Order, which approved the emergency revisions necessary to implement the grant program, is attached. This has been incorporated with the unchanged text from the original rule to create an “unofficial” version of the emergency rule. This version may be easier to use in conjunction with preparation of your application.

 Natural Resources Board Order:

“Unofficial” Text of NR 335: [unofficial NR 335]

 

Other Dam Grants Available:

DNR also expects to accept applications for Dam Removal grants starting
September 15, 2009. Approximately $500,000 will be available through this program. Information on this grant program is available at: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/cfa/Grants/DamRemov.html. Please note that an applicant may not receive a grant from both the Municipal Dam Grant Program and the Dam Removal Grant Program for removal of the same dam.

Additional Information:

Procurement Guide for Local Governments Receiving DNR Grants

Sign-up for Email Updates

  • Subscribe to receive Dam Safety Grants News. Periodically, the Department of Natural Resources will send email updates regarding grant application deadlines, public hearings and proposed changes to ch. NR 335 and 336, Wis. Adm. Code, and other dam grant related issues. You may subscribe to this mailing list by using the automated system at the link above.

Contacts:

FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:
Bill Sturtevant, State Dam Safety Engineer
Department of Natural Resources-WT/3
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707-7921
Phone: 608-266-8033
E-mail: William.Sturtevant@wisconsin.gov

Meg Galloway, Dams & Flood Plain Section Chief
Department of Natural Resources-WT/3
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707-7921
Phone: 608-266-7014
E-mail: Meg.Galloway@wisconsin.gov

FOR GRANT ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANCE:
Eileen Trainor, Dam Grant Manager
Department of Natural Resources – CF/2
101 S. Webster Street, P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707-7921
Phone: (608) 267-0848
Fax: (608) 267-0496
E-mail: Eileen.Trainor@Wisconsin.gov

Last Revised: Thursday October 01 2009