Municipalities

Mercury Ban

Wisconsin Act 44 was signed in October 2009 and regulates the sale, distribution and use of specific mercury and mercury-containing devices to Wisconsin citizens, businesses, institutions and others, including specific requirements for Wisconsin K-…

About Mercury

Mercury is a naturally occurring element (Hg on the periodic table) that is found in air, water and soil. It exists in several forms: elemental or metallic mercury, inorganic mercury compounds and organic mercury compounds. Elemental or metallic…

Summer Deer Observations for DNR Staff and Cooperators

Water Supply Service Area Planning

By 2026, all water utilities that serve a population of 10,000 or more people will be required to develop a Water Supply Service Area Plan (see s. 281.348, Wis. Stats.). Communities that may need to develop this plan prior to 2026 include:

Water use registration

Subscribe to receive email updates about the Great Lakes Compact or Water Use Program. To withdraw or a withdrawal means the taking of water from surface water or groundwater including springs, ponds, lakes, rivers, streams and the Great Lakes.…

Water use data and maps

Use the tools below to search for high capacity wells and surface water withdrawal sources. You can also see the amount of water withdrawn by month and year.

Wisconsin water withdrawals

Every year, all registered high capacity property owners are required to submit monthly water use (withdrawal) totals to the DNR. Statewide, there are over 14,000 registered high capacity withdrawal sources including over 13,000 groundwater and 1,…

Great Lakes Compact and diversions

The Great Lakes Compact is a formal agreement between the Great Lakes states which details how the states will work together to manage and protect the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin. A parallel agreement (the Sustainable Water Resources…

Aquatic Communities

Wisconsin has a large and diverse aquatic resource that supports numerous species, communities, ecological processes and human uses. In addition, many terrestrial species and processes are dependent on neighboring aquatic systems. The aquatic…

Wisconsin’s Riverine and Lake Natural Communities

Protecting and preserving riverine and lake natural communities are important to the environment and economy of Wisconsin. New scientific findings have identified distinct "natural communities" into which different types of streams, rivers and lakes…