External Services

Publications on shoreland management

Laws and regulationsPublication numberPublication informationChapter NR 115Wisconsin's Shoreland Management Program. Wisconsin Administrative Code.Chapter NR 116Wisconsin's Floodplain Management Program.

Resources for waterfront property owners

This page covers best practices and regulations for property owners with shorelines along lakes or rivers in Wisconsin. If you have questions about shoreland zoning restrictions on your property, please contact your local county zoning authority.

Shoreland Protection Funding

Owning sensitive shorelands outright or securing agreements with property owners to keep their shorelands in a natural state in perpetuity are increasingly popular tools to protect water quality and habitat along lakes and rivers. The DNR buys…

What we are doing

In 1997, the department underwent an overall assessment of the effectiveness of the shoreland program in meeting the legislative goals of protecting water quality, fish and wildlife habitat and natural scenic beauty.Rulemaking processAs a result of…

DNR Floodplain Contacts by County: Water Management Engineer Contact Information

Floodplain Zoning and Management Resources

State Model Zoning OrdinanceAn updated standard model floodplain ordinance went into effect in March 2022. This is the model version that should be used by any community amending or repealing and recreating a floodplain ordinance. The state model…

Regulations and ordinances

RegulationsCommunities are required under s. 87.30, Wis. Stats. to adopt a reasonable and effective floodplain ordinance within one year after hydraulic and engineering data adequate to formulate the ordinance becomes available. Communities are also…

Mitigation and Grants

MitigationWhile it is not possible to prevent natural hazards, it is possible to reduce their consequences. We have tools and techniques which, when put into effect in a timely fashion, allow us to avoid the worst-case scenario when a hazard does…

Floodplain Mapping

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) produces Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) that show areas at risk of flooding. The FIRMs are based on engineering studies called Flood Insurance Studies (FIS). The FIRMs can be changed through Letters…

Viewing Floodplain Analysis and Maps

Wisconsin DNR floodplain mapping applicationThe DNR Floodplain Management Program's mapping application allows the public access to the Wisconsin Floodplain Analysis database and FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer. Floodplain Insurance Studies and…