Waterway and Wetland Permits

Activities

Dredging

Do I need to obtain a permit and/or pay a fee when I want to:

Dredge or Remove Bed Materials

Dredging Photo

A general permit or an individual permit is required to dredge material from the bed of a navigable waterway. Certain dredging with handheld devices may qualify for an exemption.

If you want to dredge or remove bed materials (muck, sand, gravel, silt, organic material, etc.) from the bed of a lake, river, creek or stream, follow the steps below before starting your project.

Step 1: Determine if your waterway has a special designation that might affect the exemption or permit requirements.

Step 2: Determine if your project is exempt.

Step 3: Determine if your project qualifies for a General Permit.

Step 4: Apply for a General Permit.

Step 5: Apply for an Individual Permit.

Step 1

Determine if your waterway has a special designation that might affect the exemption or permit requirements.

Visit the search page below, enter the information about your waterway, and record any designations that it may have.

Step 2

Determine if your project is exempt. Minor dredging with handheld devices that have no auxiliary power and removal of a total of less than 3 cubic yards of material are generally exempt from permit requirements. This manual dredging is not exempt for waters designated as "areas of special natural resource interest" (ASNRI) or where there are "public rights features" (PRF).

If your project will not be in an ASNRI, PRF, or a perennial tributary to a trout stream, you may qualify for an exemption if your project meets specific standards. Click on the checklist below to help you determine if your project qualifies for an exemption.

If you would like assistance from the DNR to determine if an activity is eligible for an exemption, download and print the Exemption Determination Request [PDF 64KB], or obtain the form at your local DNR Service Center. Fill in all of the requested information, sign the form, and submit it by mail or FAX to the address on the form. You will receive a response within 15 days of our receipt of your request (provided the owner of the project site has signed the form).

If your dredging project is not exempt, you'll need to apply for a General Permit or an Individual Permit.

Step 3

Determine if your project qualifies for a General Permit. General Permits are currently available for six types of projects:

  1. Utility Crossings
  2. Drainage District Maintenance
  3. Maintenance of Previously Dredged Area
  4. Manual Dredging
  5. Removal of Plant and Animal Nuisance Deposits
  6. Invasive and Non-native Species Management on Exposed Lakebed

Review the permit conditions found in the application materials in Step 4 to see if your project will qualify. If your project will not meet the conditions of a General Permit, you'll need to apply for an Individual Permit (see Step 5).

Step 4

Apply for a General Permit. To apply for a General Permit, open and print the General Permit Application form that corresponds to your desired dredging activity listed below, along with the Fee Sheet [PDF 93KB].

Submit the completed application materials, along with the fee and Fee Sheet, to the location identified on the form. Please note that you may qualify for a General Permit for a utility crossing by open trench methods but the fee is $300 for this project type. You will need to print and supply both the General Permit application above and the Fee Sheet that is contained in step five below. If your project will not meet the conditions of a General Permit, you'll need to apply for an Individual Permit.

Please be aware that for larger projects the Department may require sediment sampling under NR 347. If you are applying to dredge a large area and think you may have to do sedmient sampling, please Read This Guidance Document [PDF file]

Please be aware that if you are applying to dredge by useing motorized equipment for the purpose of controlling Phragmites [PDF 66KB] or another aquatic invasive plant, you will need to develop an invasives control plan. The plan will be reviewed by the Department as part of the permit process. The plan must include the following elements.

  • A description of the existing condition including the types of plants present and their abundance.
  • A strategy for the control of the invasive species.
  • A plan for the re-establishment of the native plant community.
  • A monitoring plan to assess the success or failure of the control plan.

Step 5

Apply for an Individual Permit. To apply for an Individual Permit, open and print either the lakes or streams form and the Fee Sheet form:

Send the completed application materials, along with the fee and Fee Sheet, to the county where your project is located. For more information about how your application is reviewed, see our Web page on the Permit Process.

Please be aware that for larger projects the Department may require sediment sampling under NR 347. If you are applying to dredge a large area and think you may have to do sedmient sampling, please Read This Guidance Document [PDF file]

Please be aware that if you are applying to dredge by grooming/disking or to use motorized equipment for the purpose of controlling Phragmites [PDF 66KB] or another aquatic invasive plant, you will need to develop an invasives control plan. The plan will be reviewed by the Department as part of the permit process. The plan must include the following elements.

  • A description of the existing condition including the types of plants present and their abundance.
  • A strategy for the control of the invasive species.
  • A plan for the re-establishment of the native plant community.
  • A monitoring plan to assess the success or failure of the control plan.

Groom/Disk the Exposed Lakebed Area

If you want to groom/disk the exposed lakebed area (beach, vegetation, etc.) on your property, an individual permit is required to groom/disk material from the bed of a navigable waterway.

This includes grooming/disking in areas of the beds of waterways that are currently exposed because of low water levels. Certain grooming/raking with handheld devices may qualify for an exemption.

Permits are often issued to groom areas that are open to the public. These areas are usually larger and grooming by hand would be too time consuming. If you own lake frontage, it is recommended that any grooming that you find necessary to access the water be done in a small area by hand. Most of the time grooming by hand, if you follow the exemption standards, does not require a permit. Minimizing your impact is critical to protecting this fragile ecosystem. These areas may contain endangered plant species and are important protectors of water quality. Please keep in mind that any disturbed area becomes more susceptible to invasion by exotic invasive plant species like Phragmites [PDF, 66KB].

For more information on the values of these areas please go to Our Beautiful Great Lakes Shorelines [PDF, 66Kb]

Please be aware that if you are applying to dredge by grooming/disking or to use motorized equipment for the purpose of controlling Phragmites [PDF 66KB] or another aquatic invasive plant, you will need to develop an invasives control plan. The plan will be reviewed by the Department as part of the permit process. The plan must include the following elements.

  • A description of the existing condition including the types of plants present and their abundance.
  • A strategy for the control of the invasive species.
  • A plan for the re-establishment of the native plant community.
  • A monitoring plan to assess the success or failure of the control plan.

Cut/Mow the Vegetation

If you want to cut/mow the vegetation that is growing on the exposed lakebed, choose which one of the following examples fits your situation:

  • If you will be using motorized equipment (riding lawn mowers, tractors, ATVs, etc.) for cutting/mowing as a way to manage emergent vegetation on exposed lakebed you can apply for a:
    1. general permit or
    2. an individual permit
    Please be aware that the general permit is only available for projects located on Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay, Sawyer's Harbor or the Fox River from its mouth up to the dam at DePere,
  • If you will be cutting/mowing the vegetation by hand (e.g., using a string trimmer, push lawn mower, clippers, etc), a permit is only required if you remove native vegetation in an area that exceeds a single 30 foot wide path per property measured along the shoreline or if you are removing state or federally listed threatened or endangered plant species.
    Please note: the following non-native invasive species may be removed by hand in an unlimited area without a permit:
    1. Phragmites [PDF, 66Kb],
    2. eurasian water milfoil,
    3. curly leaf pondweed, and
    4. purple loosestrife

If you own lake frontage, it is recommended that any cutting or mowing that you find necessary to access the water be done in a small area by hand. Minimizing your impact is critical to protecting this fragile ecosystem. These areas may contain endangered plant species and are important protectors of water quality. Please keep in mind that any disturbed area becomes more susceptible to invasion by invasive plant species like Phragmites [PDF, 66Kb].

For more information on the values of these areas please go to Our Beautiful Great Lakes Shorelines [PDF, 66Kb]

Remove Large Nuisance Deposits

If you want to remove large nuisance deposits of Cladophora, dead fish, zebra or Quagga mussels using motorized equipment you can apply for a:

  1. general permit or
  2. an individual permit
Please be aware that the general permit is only available for projects located on Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay, Sawyer's Harbor or the Fox River from its mouth up to the dam at DePere.

Certain manual removal of nuisance deposits with handheld devices may qualify for an exemption. Longer term individual permits are frequently issued to local units of government and groups of homeowners that have continual problems with these large nuisance deposits. The individual permits can be issued for up to ten years.

Laws

Applicable statutes and codes include Section 30.20, Wis. Stats. [exit DNR], [PDF file] and Chapter NR 345 [exit DNR], [PDF file].

Local permits and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulations may also apply. We advise you to contact your local zoning office and your regional U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office [exit DNR].

Last Revised: Thursday August 14 2008