How to easily determine if you need a permit for riprap on your Wisconsin Shoreline - Waterfront Refresh LLC
Here are the fastest ways we’ve found to determine if you need a permit for any shoreline riprap, grading, or construction of other permanent structures on or near your Wisconsin waterfront property. We hope this helps you avoid any trouble and plan an efficient project! If all of this sounds like a lot of work, you’re in the right place. Waterfront Refresh is here to help take the permitting, planning, and waterfront construction process from A to Z.
Do you need assistance with waterfront project planning, permitting, or contracting? Reach out anytime! WaterfrontRefresh.Com / (715)-309-3177 / or email devante@waterfrontrefresh.com
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You’ve probably heard the story before, or maybe you’ve even been there yourself. A neighbor wants to make some improvements to their waterfront property, so they start getting to work on moving stuff around the shoreline, maybe even doing a little bit of digging or moving some dirt ,around and then throwing down some boulders. Nothing crazy right?
Or maybe you hire someone to help out for who says "“you don’t need a permit for that kind of stuff”, but does the job haphazardly without any research and then bolts? But then when the work is all completed, you get paid a visit by some people in green pants who kindly mention, it all needs to be torn out, and there will be a nice fine, and then you are are back at square one, but now with a lot of work ahead of you and less cash for a rainy day. And sometimes, the work done in the first place wasn’t installed correctly. Double whammy.
This is a very real and common occurrence we see happening to people all across our state, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We understand that permitting, dealing with rules and regulations, project planning, and potential permitting fees aren’t the fun part of owning a waterfront property, but that is where Waterfront Refresh is here to help. We want to help property owners avoid any headaches by showing you how to take the first step of preparing for your waterfront project - by checking to see if you need any permits, before starting any work.
Its easy, its simple, it only takes a few minutes, and could save you a whole lot of trouble down the road.
So here we go - Here are the four first steps we always take before and recommend homeowners review before starting a waterfront project such as riprap installation, repair, or new construction of other similar waterfront structures. Property owners can do all of this in just minutes at home with just a computer or smart phone. Even better, this is also a great process to follow before purchasing a waterfront property so you can know what to expect if you ever want to make any shoreline changes.
Lastly, if you’re still unsure of your need for a permit or not, we highly recommend reaching directly out to the DNR as they should be able to assist thought it may take a bit longer to hear back from them.
4 Steps to quickly Determine if you need a permit for your waterfront project:
Step 1 - State Level - Review the WI DNR Surface Water Data Viewer to determine if your property is in an area of Special Natural Resource Interest (ASNRI) or in a Designated Wetland.
These two items immediately trigger a need for a more extensive permit called an Individual Permit ($750 fee) rather than a standard general waterway permit.
Surface Water Data Viewer Steps (Best viewed in a desktop browser)
Click on ‘Find Locations’ or ‘Locate and Identify’ on the top search bar above the map.
Type in the property’s street address, then click ‘search’ to get a full drop down menu of relevant addresses.
After selecting the full address of your choice in the drop down menu, click on the submit button.
You will get a new map location with a small purple circle highlighting the property address and location.
Next click “Layers” on the top search bar
Next you will want to check on the boxes “Priority Navigable Waterways” and also “Mapped Wetlands”..
If your property highlighted in purple is bordering any areas that are newly indicated as a ASNRI, PNW, or Mapped Wetland, that is the fastest way to know that you will need a WI DNR permit before beginning any shoreline alteration work. Overall, this just means that your property doesn’t fall into the meeting the riprap exemption requirements.
Step 2 - State Level - Review the WI DNR Riprap Exemption Checklist (if planning a riprap project)
If your property is not highlighted in the SWDV map after reviewing the above criteria, you will then want to see if your proposed project meets the WI DNR riprap exemption list (If you are planning a riprap or shoreline armoring project) If your proposed project meets the criteria of the exemption list and is not highlighted during the above steps, you may not need a WI DNR permit to carry out your project.
Review the WI DNR riprap exemption requirements listed here: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/sites/default/files/topic/Waterways/checklist/ExemptionChecklist-Riprap.pdf
Step 3 - County Zoning and Municipal Level - Check with your local zoning and municipal teams to determine if you need a permit for the proposed scope of work.
In addition to reviewing information regarding the DNR permitting process, you should also make sure to give a quick call to your local county or municipality zoning office to discuss whether or not your project scope will require a permit. The DNR regulates everything below the Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM), while anything that is above the waterline is regulated by zoning and municipal teams.
We most often see a need for permits with zoning near the shoreline where any filling or grading occurs above the ordinary high water mark, which often happens when we are carrying out a full shoreline restoration project with significant erosion or soil correction. Local government agencies often have their own specific regulations on what can and can't be done on the shoreline that vary from county to county and city to city. (For example, some counties and municipalities allow Ice-Heaved shorelines to be corrected with equipment and without a permit once a year, while other counties may require a permit for any equipment being used near the shoreline at all.) This is why its especially important we do our research before working on any body of water, as the rules can and do change from property to property.
Step 4 - Local Environmental Groups - Check with other local regulatory organizations and environmental groups (if applicable)
Lastly, if you own property on a lake that is also overseen by a lake specific organization, watershed group, association, or environmental agency, you may want to check in with them before doing any work, even if you do not need a permit from the DNR, County, or local government. This is because some counties authorize environmental groups to manage activities around certain waterways. We have seen this much more often in Minnesota, where specific lakes or groups of lakes have environmental water districts that maintain their own rules or a board of members separate from the county or city. (One well known example is Lake Minnetonka.)
- Final Notes -
Needing a permit for your project in general is not always a ‘bad’ thing or that your project is too out of the ordinary. Needing a permit largely just translates to the fact that the regulatory teams just want to make sure that you’re installing things right the first time, and in a way that will not negatively impact the environment or neighboring properties. Most of the time, these organizations requiring permits aren’t out to get homeowners, although there may be some strong bias out there towards what’s a better option for your shoreline or not.
Waterfront permitting can be a lot of work and there are many moving parts, especially because each county, state, and organization often handles the same issues differently. Overall, we believe that homeowners should have the ability to enjoy their property, protect it, and have the tools and resources in place to keep it that way for years to come. If all of this sounds like a lot of work, you can sigh a sigh of relief, because you’re in the right place! Waterfront Refresh is here to help take the permitting, planning, and waterfront construction process from A to Z.
Curious how to actually fill out and complete those permits? We’ll have to get to that another time.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about shoreline permitting. We look forward to the potential opportunity to serve you in the future! If you have any questions about permitting or contracting for your shoreline project, please feel free to reach out anytime, Its why we are here, its what we focus on, and we are always happy to help! Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you soon! - Devante, Waterfront Refresh LLC
Waterfront Refresh LLC offers shoreline restoration, riprap installation, erosion control, ice heave repair, natural and bio-engineered shoreline installation, waterfront permitting, waterfront access improvement, and much more!
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