- What's New
- Proposed Rules
- Public Hearings
- Workshops
- Permit Process
- Designated Waters Search
- Annual Report
- Why We Regulate
- Glossary of Terms
- Contacts by County
- Records Trial
Activities
- Aquatic Plant Control
- Beaver Damage
- Beach Maintenance Activities [PDF, 80KB]
- Boathouse Repair
- Boat Ramp (Landings)
- Boat Shelter
- Bridges
- Buoys
- Cranberry Projects
- Culverts
- Dams
- Dredging
- Dry Hydrants
- Fish or Wildlife Habitat
- Fords
- Grading
- Intake/Outfall Structure
- Irrigation
- Lake Levels
- Misc. Structures
- Nonmetallic Mining
- Pea Gravel Blanket
- Piers, Docks, Wharves
- Pilings
- Ponds
- Shoreline Erosion Control-Lakes
- Streambank Erosion Control
- Stream Realignment
- Swimming Rafts
- Utility Waterway Crossing
- Water Ski Platforms
- Wetlands
Water Ski Platforms and Jumps
Question: I want to place a water ski platform or jump in a lake, river, or flowage. Do I need to obtain a permit and/or pay a fee?
Answer: Waterfront property owners may place water ski platforms or water ski jumps in a navigable waterway without obtaining a permit if all of the following requirements are met:
- The platform or jump does not interfere with public rights in navigable waters such as fishing access or protection of fish spawning areas.
- The platform or jump does not interfere with the rights of other waterfront property owners such as denying access to neighbor's shoreline.
- The platform or jump is located at a site that ensures adequate water depth and clearance for safe water skiing.
Contact your local Water Management Specialist to determine if your project will meet these requirements. If your proposal does not meet all 3 requirements, you will need to apply for an Individual Permit for a Miscellaneous Structures in Waterway. A fee is required.
Please follow the steps below to file your application for a miscellaneous structures permit. Open and print BOTH of the following files:
- Miscellaneous Structures Individual Permit [Form #3500-53P, PDF 18KB]
- Fee Sheet [Form #3500-053A, PDF 105KB]
Send the completed application materials, along with the fee and the Fee Sheet, to the county where your project is located.
Reminder
You must own shoreline in the area where the ski platform or ski jump would be placed.
Notes
The placement of buoys around a water ski platform or water ski jump must be approved by the local conservation warden and by the local unit of government. For more information, see the Waterway Markers page, or contact your local DNR conservation warden.
Ski platforms or jumps located more than 200 feet from shore must be lit with a white light during the hours from sunset to sunrise. These structures, no matter how far from shore, should be well marked both day and night to warn boaters of the navigational hazards. Contact your local WI DNR conservation warden for lighting requirements (see Wisconsin DNR Service Center / Regional Offices).
Laws
Applicable statutes and codes include Section 30.135 and Section 30.61(6)(a), Wis. Stats. [exit DNR], [PDF 627KB].
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].
RSS