External Services

Permits for hunting

The Wisconsin DNR regulates the harvest of bobcat, fisher, otter, elk, black bear, wild turkey and sharp-tailed grouse through a special permitting system. Harvest permits/tags/authorizations are awarded through a drawing process. In order to be…

Bear registration

Please familiarize yourself with any changes before the start of the season. Carcass tag requirements are explained below. In addition, resources on this page detail these changes and the steps needed to successfully register your bear and submit a…

Selling property with a dam

Both the seller of property on which a dam is located and the buyer of the property must cooperate to complete a dam transfer application.

DNR Dam Contacts by County: Water Management Engineer Contact information

Regulations

The Department of Natural Resources is responsible for the regulation of the majority of dams in the state of Wisconsin. The authority of the state to regulate dams is based in the Public Trust Doctrine which emanates from Article IX, Section 1 of…

Permits and/or approvals

Permits or approvals are required for the activities listed below. The permits are required for large and small dams on both navigable and nonnavigable waterways (streams, creeks, or rivers). A fee is required.

Responsibilities of a Dam Owner

Dam owners have obligations. To help you minimize exposure to liability due to ownership and/or operation, this fact sheet helps with basic information about owning a dam. Owner responsibility fact sheet Owner responsible inspections (large dams…

Dam Safety Newsletters

To stay in touch with what's going on in the Wisconsin Dam Safety Program, subscribe to Dam Safety News. (On your first time you will be asked to enter your email address.) Dam Safety News is an electronic newsletter highlighting updates and…

New dam construction

Dam construction A dam is any artificial barrier in or across a watercourse which has the primary purpose of impounding or diverting water. A dam includes all appurtenant works, such as a dike, canal or powerhouse.

Inspections

Owners of dams are responsible to participate in the safety of their dams by performing regular and frequent inspections. Recurring inspections by owners (all dams) The owner of a dam needs to inspect their dam on a regular basis and after any…