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Streambank erosion - determine your site location

Waterway protection

If you are starting a new project or repairing a pre-existing project, please follow these steps to verify your project location, and to determine if you are eligible for a general permit.

  1. Open the Wisconsin DNR Surface Water Data Viewer.
  2. Near the top of your screen, there will be a series of horizontal links with a blue background. Open the link titled "Find Location." Once this link is clicked, a list of ways to find your location will appear on the left side of your screen. Choose the method that makes the most sense to you. Once you have found your location, you should see a map of your location on the right of your screen.
  3. Again, near the top of your screen, there will be a series of horizontal links with a blue background. Open the link titled "Layers." Once this link is clicked, a list of folders will appear on the left side of your screen. Locate the folder titled "Permits & Related Data."
  4. Click on the folder icon (folder icon) that appears to the left of the title "Permits & Related Data." Once this folder is opened, you will see a list of links. Find the one titled "Erosion Control General Permit Availability."
  5. To the left of the link titled "Erosion Control General Permit Availability," you will see an empty checkbox (checkbox icon). Click this box to check it (checkbox checked icon). The map of your location on the right of your screen should now be color-coded.
  6. Now you are ready to determine what streambank erosion control General Permit you are eligible for based on your location. Below the series of horizontal links with a blue background, there are nine white buttons. Choose the button labeled "Identify" (identify button icon), which should then 'glow' yellow when it is selected (identify button icon) As you move your mouse over the map, your cursor will appear as a plus sign (+). Click your cursor over the location of your project.
  7. Once you have clicked the plus sign on your project location, a listing of information will appear on the left side of your screen. Scroll down to the area title "Erosion Control General Permit Availability" and look for the sublisting titled "Potential GP Availability." The information contained here identifies for which General Permit you are eligible.
  8. Match the information listed under the title “Potential GP Availability” to any of the general permit applications listed at Water Permits.