Dredging and Grading Project Permitting
Waterway protection
NOTES ON WATERWAYS PERMITS
For each project type below, if an exemption or a general permit is available, you will find a link to a checklist of requirements. If your project does not meet exemption eligibility criteria, review the general permit checklist. If your project does not meet general permit eligibility criteria, you must apply for an individual permit.
To start a permit application, use the DNR Water ePermitting System. A WAMS ID is required.
To determine if a local permit or a federal permit is required for your project, contact your city or county zoning authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – St. Paul District Office.
State law requires a landowner with a project site that is 1 acre or larger in size to obtain a construction site stormwater permit. To submit a notice of intent, visit the DNR Stormwater Runoff Permitting page.
Applicable state statutes and code include ss. 30.19 and. 30.20, Wis. Stats., NR 341, and NR 345, Wis. Admin. Code.
Grading
If you are grading or removing more than 10,000 square feet (0.23 acres) of material on the bank of a navigable or public waterway a DNR permit is required unless you meet one of the exemption criteria below.
Federal and state law requires landowners of construction sites with one acre or more of land disturbance to address erosion control and stormwater management. If your project involves the disturbance of one acre or more please visit Water ePermitting to apply for a DNR stormwater permit.
Permitting Options
- Exemptions - DNR Waterways does not require a permit for the following grading projects:
- Construction or repair of public highways
- Agricultural uses
- Projects in Milwaukee County
- Disturbance of less than 10,000 square feet of material
- The project is authorized under a DNR storm water permit.
- The project is authorized under a permit issued by the county under its shoreland zoning ordinance
- Grading General Permit Checklist
- Grading Individual Permit Checklist
Technical Resources
Dredging
Dredging projects to remove material from lakebed or streambed can pose a risk to the aquatic environment. Permit authorization typically requires input from multiple DNR programs.
If you are removing a total of less than 2 cubic yards of be material (about one small dump truck full) in any given year you do not need a permit. Pier, boat lift, or beach maintenance can by completed without a permit if you stay under the annual limit of 2 cubic yards. If not, see Dredging Permitting Options below.
Dredging Project Planning
Dredging projects can be logistically challenging and expensive to implement. Projects may require contaminated sediment sampling, in-water sediment control practices, and dredge spoil disposal techniques. The DNR recommends you plan your project enough to determine the estimated cost, volume of material, methods to be used, and disposal methods and location, if applicable, before starting the permit process. The pre-application information form is a good starting place for project planning, and the DNR recommends seeking out one or more private consultants or contractors who are familiar with dredging projects.
Dredging Pre-Application Meeting
A pre-application meeting is required prior to submitting a permit application for dredging projects. Applicants should send the completed form below to a local Waterway Team member with a pre-application meeting request. The form information will help determine the need for contaminated sediment sampling and the best permitting option.
Dredging Pre-Application Information Form
Contaminated Sediment Sampling
Be aware that prior to submitting a permit application for larger dredging projects, the department may require sediment sampling to determine the presence of dredge spoil contaminants under Chapter NR 347, which would need to be managed as part of your project.
If you are applying to dredge a large area and think you may have to do sediment sampling, please read this Guidance Document.
Dredging Permitting Options
This is a text link version of our dredging interactive question and answer module. If you are seeing this message, you currently have JavaScript disabled or are in compatibility mode while using Internet Explorer. This text version is here to help you understand if you need a permit from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for your dredging project, and if so, which one. Please go through and answer each question. This will help you determine which permit you will need.
Question 1 :
Is your project:
- one of the following activities and
- can it meet all of the requirements in the permit application checklist or reference?
(a) Activity name | (b) Checklist or reference |
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Manual Dredging Checklist |
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If your answer is “Yes,”:
You've answered Yes:
Your project may qualify for an exemption. It is strongly encouraged that you discuss your project with your local Water Management Specialist prior to beginning your project. Please refer to the exemption checklist or reference information for project eligibility standards that must be followed in order to complete the activity.
If your answer is "No,” go to Question 2.
Question 2 :
Is your project:
- one of the following activities and
- can it meet all of the requirements in the permit application checklist or reference?
(a) Activity name | (b) Checklist or reference |
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You've answered Yes.
If your answer is “Yes,”:
Your project may qualify for a general permit. Prior to submitting a permit application you are required to have a pre-application meeting with your local Water Management Specialist. Please refer to the permit application checklist for information that must be provided to your water management specialist.
You've answered No.
If your answer is “No,”:
It does not appear that there are any exemptions or general permits available for your project. Because of this, an individual permit is likely required. Please work with your local water management specialist to determine specific permit application needs.
Be aware there may be additional permit standards you must meet. Prior to applying for a permit, review the Permit Application Checklist [PDF] and the Sample Drawings [PDF] as you consider your project’s overall design.
Riparian navigational dredging on man-made impoundments general permit
As of October 2018, DNR has a new general permit for riparians located on man-made impoundments who want to dredge up to 50 cubic yards for up to 5 years. In addition to specific design standards detailed in General Permit 20, projects need to meet two eligibility standards.
Eligible lake list
Eligible waters list with 30% development
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First, the project needs to be located on a man-made impoundment with a watershed comprised of more than 30% combined agricultural and urban land use development based upon the department’s latest WiscLand dataset.
In order to determine whether your impoundment meets this standard, select your county from the drop-down menu in the “Eligible impoundments list” sidebar on this web page. A list of eligible impoundments, and their associated Water Body Identification Code (WBIC), will appear.
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Projects also need to be located on a man-made impoundment. Impoundments are defined as a surface water with artificially raised water levels due to the presence of a man-made structure like a dam. In order to demonstrate your project is located on a man-made impoundment, riparians can show they are located on a lake upstream from a dam structure by submitting a screenshot of the Surface Water Data Viewer Dam’s Layer, or documentation from the DNR Water Management Specialist or DNR Water Management Engineer, or other documentation. Applicants will be prompted to submit this documentation when applying for the permit.
Applicants will also be required to submit a self-certification that the dredging is exempt from consultation from the Waste Materials Management, or get separate approval from Waste Materials Management. Applicants can consult the self-certification exemption criteria flow chart for dredge material disposal facility.
Technical Resources
- Lake dredging sample drawings [PDF]
- Stream dredging sample drawings [PDF]
- Invasive management dredging sample drawings [PDF]
- Nuisance removal dredging sample drawings [PDF]
- DNR-GP5-2018-WI General Permit to remove accumulated plant and animal nuisance deposits from beds of navigable waters [PDF]
- DNR-GP17-2017-WI General Permit for Small Scale Dredging of Lakes and Streams [PDF]
- DNR-GP20-2018-WI General Permit for Riparian Navigational Dredging of Man-made Impoundments [PDF]
- Office of Energy utility permitting