Wetlands_Content Page_Wetland restoration permits

Wetland restoration permits

Notes on Wetland Restoration Permits

Review general permit options or use the decision tool below and apply for a general permit if your project meets eligibility requirements. If your wetland restoration project is not eligible for a general permit, the decision tool will direct you to review other Wetland Permitting Options.

To start a wetland permit application, use the DNR Water ePermitting System. A WAMS ID is required. 

To determine if a federal permit is required for your project, contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – St. Paul District Office [exit DNR]. The federal wetland permitting process is a separate process involving a local USACE Project Manager. 

If grading, filling or other wetland activities are proposed on agricultural lands, contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service [exit DNR] office.

A DNR Aquatic Plant Management permit is required for chemical spraying in areas with standing water, including wetlands.

General Permit Options

Wetland Conservation General Permits

A Wetland General Permit is required and available for projects involving existing wetlands and any of the 7 activities listed below and that meet the eligibility requirements in the general permit checklist. If your project is sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), use the "Federal" general permit option. To be eligible for a general permit, your restoration must be designed according to NRCS Wisconsin field office conservation practice standards. 

Wetland Conservation General Permit Activities
  • Drain tile alteration or removal by disabling a section of drain tile or adding a water control structure within the existing tile line in the project area.
  • Disabling artificial surface drains by filling the lengths of the ditch downstream of the drainage system to be altered. Ditch fills may be added upstream of ditch plugs or ditch fills for the entire length of the ditch. Ditch plugs may be eliminated if the proposed ditch is completely filled with earth.
  • Constructing dams or water control structures that include dikes, embankments and low berms to impede surface water drainage or runoff.
  • Altering the hydrology of an area by removing pumps, breaching structures, such as dikes, or re-routing artificial drainage features or manipulation of water control structures.
  • Remove soil and vegetation or post European settlement deposition that has accumulated over historic wetland soils.
  • Introducing native plants and managing existing exotic or invasive plant species.
  • Installing and maintaining monitoring devices such as gauges and water level recording devices.
NRCS Wisconsin Field Office Conservation Practice Standards Documents
Other Resources for NRCS, FWS, and DNR sponsored projects

Determine permit required

This is a text version of our wetland restoration interactive question and answer module to help you understand if you need a permit for your project. 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 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 sponsored by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) or the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR)?

If your answer is "Yes” go to Question 09.

If your answer is "No” go to Question 2.

Question 2 :

Is the purpose of the project wetland conservation? In other words will the project result in the re-establishment or restoration of drained wetlands, enhancement of existing degraded wetlands or creation of new wetlands?

If your answer is "Yes” go to Question 3.

You've answered No.

If your answer is “No,”:

You do not qualify for a wetland restoration general permit. You will need to apply for an individual permit.*Please note: WAMS ID and password needed to apply. If you do not have a WAMS ID, you must register for one prior to proceeding.

Question 3 :

Do wetlands already exist at the site?

If your answer is "Yes” go to Question 4.

If your answer is "No” go to Question 5.

You've answered I don't know

If your answer is “I don't know,”:

Please visit the DNR's wetland mapping page to learn more about identifying wetlands on your property.

 

Question 4 :

Is the site and wetlands:

If your answer is "Planted in agricultural crops or dominated by invasive or early successional species” go to Question 5.

You've answered dominated by an undisturbed wetland plant community

If your answer is “dominated by an undisturbed wetland plant community,”:

You do not qualify for a wetland conservation general permit. You will need to apply for an individual permit.*Please note: WAMS ID and password needed to apply. If you do not have a WAMS ID, you must register for one prior to proceeding.

 

You've answered I don't know.

If your answer is “I don't know,”:

Please visit the DNR's invasive species page to learn more about potential invasive species on your property.

Question 5 :

Will the project include one or more of the following activities?

Only the activities listed below, which are designed and constructed according to Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) field office technical practice standards 378- Pond, 410- Grade Stabilization Structure, 638- Water & Sediment Control Basin and 657-Wetland Restoration, are eligible for the general permit. See the NRCS Wisconsin Field Office Conservation Practice Standards Documents above on this page.

  • Removing or disabling a section of drain tile.
  • Disabling surface drains by filling of the ditch downstream of the drainage system to be altered.
  • Constructing dikes, embankments and low berms.
  • Removing vegetation or post-European settlement deposition, including shallow scrapes, submerged islands and interconnected open water areas.
  • Altering the hydrology of an area by removing pumps, breaching structures or manipulating water control structures.
  • Introducing native plants and managing existing exotic or invasive plant species.
  • Installing and maintaining monitoring devices such as gauges and water level recording devices.

If your answer is "Yes” go to Question 6.

You've answered No

If your answer is “No,”:

You do not qualify for a wetland conservation general permit. You will need to apply for an individual permit.*Please note: WAMS ID and password needed to apply. If you do not have a WAMS ID, you must register for one prior to proceeding.

 

Question 6 :

Are there any navigable waters with prior stream history?

You've answered Yes

If your answer is “Yes,”:

You do not qualify for a general permit. You will need to apply for an individual permit.*Please note: WAMS ID and password needed to apply. If you do not have a WAMS ID, you must register for one prior to proceeding.

 

If your answer is "No” go to Question 7.

You've answered I don't know.

If your answer is “I don't know,”:

You may reference the original government surveys to assist in a stream history determination or contact your local Water Management Specialist.

Question 7 :

Will the project impact a cold water resource or block fish spawning to existing habitat areas? For example are you constructing a dam or ditch plug of fill across the navigable water, such that water will be impounded and migration of fish would be blocked upstream of the structure?

You've answered Yes

If your answer is “Yes,”:

You do not qualify for a wetland conservation general permit. You will need to apply for an individual permit.*Please note: WAMS ID and password needed to apply. If you do not have a WAMS ID, you must register for one prior to proceeding.

 

If your answer is "No” go to Question 8.

Question 8 :

Are you proposing a dam, berm, dike or embankment that is:

  • Less than 2 feet in height as measured from the natural ground level and impounds less than 50 acre-feet of water
  • Less than 6 feet in height as measured from the natural ground level and designed by a professional engineer registered in the State of Wisconsin or the project is being submitted by county, state or federal agency

You've answered Yes

If your answer is “Yes,”:

You may qualify for a wetland conservation general permit. Please visit the General permits page to apply.*Please note: WAMS ID and password needed to apply. If you do not have a WAMS ID, you must register for one prior to proceeding.

 

You've answered No

If your answer is “No,”:

If the answer is No and you are proposing an activity other than a dam, berm, dike or embankment you may be eligible for a wetland conservation general permit. Please visit the General permits page to apply for the general permit titled "Wetland Conservation – Not federal". *Please note: WAMS ID and password needed to apply. If you do not have a WAMS ID, you must register for one prior to proceeding.

If the answer is No, and you are proposing a dam, berm, dike or embankment, you do not qualify for a general permit. You will need to apply for an individual permit.*Please note: WAMS ID and password needed to apply. If you do not have a WAMS ID, you must register for one prior to proceeding.

 

Question 9 :

Is the purpose of the project wetland conservation? In other words will the project result in the re-establishment or restoration of drained wetlands, enhancement of existing degraded wetlands or creation of new wetlands?

If your answer is "Yes” go to Question 10.

You've answered No

If your answer is “No,”:

You do not qualify for a wetland conservation general permit. You will need to apply for an individual permit.*Please note: WAMS ID and password needed to apply. If you do not have a WAMS ID, you must register for one prior to proceeding.

 

Question 10 :

Will the project include one or more of the following activities?

Only the activities listed below, which are designed and constructed according to Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) field office technical practice standards 338- Prescribed Burning, 378- Pond, 394- Firebreak, 410- Grade Stabilization Structure, 500- Obstruction Removal, 572-Spoil Spreading, 587-Structure for Water Control, 638- Water & Sediment Control Basin and 657-Wetland Restoration, are eligible for the general permit. See the NRCS Wisconsin Field Office Conservation Practice Standards Documents above on this page.

  • Drain tile alteration or removal by disabling a section of drain tile or adding a water control structure within the existing tile line in the project area.
  • Disabling artificial surface drains by filling the lengths of the ditch downstream of the drainage system to be altered. Ditch fills may be added upstream of ditch plugs or ditch fills for the entire length of the ditch. Ditch plugs may be eliminated if the proposed ditch is completely filled with earth.
  • Constructing dams or water control structures that include dikes, embankments and low berms to impede surface water drainage or runoff.
  • Altering the hydrology of an area by removing pumps, breaching structures, such as dikes, or re-routing artificial drainage features or manipulation of water control structures.
  • Remove soil and vegetation or post European settlement deposition that has accumulated over historic wetland soils.
  • Introducing native plants and managing existing exotic or invasive plant species.
  • Installing and maintaining monitoring devices such as gauges and water level recording devices.

If your answer is "Yes” go to Question 11.

You've answered No

If your answer is “No,”:

You do not qualify for a wetland conservation general permit. You will need to apply for an individual permit.*Please note: WAMS ID and password needed to apply. If you do not have a WAMS ID, you must register for one prior to proceeding.

 

Question 11 :

Does the project involve activities in navigable waters with prior stream history?

You've answered Yes

If your answer is “Yes,”:

You do not qualify for a wetland conservation general permit. You will need to apply for an individual wetland disturbance permit.*Please note: WAMS ID and password needed to apply. If you do not have a WAMS ID, you must register for one prior to proceeding.

 

If your answer is "No” go to Question 12.

Question 12 :

Will your project include the construction of a dam, dike, embankment, or low berm that is:

  • Less than or equal to 6 feet in height as measured from the natural ground level.
  • Less than 25 feet in height as measured from the natural ground level with the maximum storage capacity less than 50 acre-feet.

If your answer is "Yes” go to Question 13.

You've answered No

If your answer is “No,”:

If the answer is No and you are proposing an activity other than a dam, berm, dike or embankment proceed to question 13.

If the answer is No, and you are proposing a dam, berm, dike or embankment, you do not qualify for a wetland conservation general permit. You will need to apply for an individual permit.*Please note: WAMS ID and password needed to apply. If you do not have a WAMS ID, you must register for one prior to proceeding.

 

Question 13 :

Will the project result in significant adverse impacts to endangered or threatened species, or to historical or cultural resources?

You've answered Yes

If your answer is “Yes,”:

You do not qualify for a wetland conservation general permit. You will need to apply for an individual permit.*Please note: WAMS ID and password needed to apply. If you do not have a WAMS ID, you must register for one prior to proceeding.

 

You've answered No

If your answer is “No,”:

You may qualify for the statewide wetland conservation general permit. Please visit the General permits page to apply for the general permit titled "Wetland Conservation – Federal".*Please note: WAMS ID and password needed to apply. If you do not have a WAMS ID, you must register for one prior to proceeding.

 

 

Alert icon

Contact DNR Waterways: 

Email DNRWMSPublicInquiry@wisconsin.gov for wetland and waterway permitting questions.

Please include:

  • Address or location of proposed activities.
  • Waterbody name (if applicable).
  • A description of proposed activities in wetlands or waterways.
  • Phone number if you prefer a callback.

*For permitting questions, you may also leave a message in our voicemail box at 608-267-3125.

Schedule a permit pre-application meeting

 

Submit a Waterway or
Wetland Complaint