Waterway & Wetland Permits: Beach Maintenance

Landowners || Contractors || Municipalities || Agriculturalists || Public Involvement || County Contacts

“Due to low water levels, I have some additional beach areas on my property that I would like to clean and maintain for personal use. Does this require a permit?” Lower water levels the past few years have left many lake front property owners with additional exposed beach areas below the ordinary high water mark (OHWM). These lake front owners get to enjoy the exclusive right to utilize these exposed areas, however these areas are protected and activities in these areas, even when temporarily high and dry, may require approval and or permits.

Beach Maintenance

DNR Photo

Determine if a Permit is Required

Don't have Flash player? Visit our text version of the "Determine Permit Required" beach maintenance decision instead. In addition, here are the current beach maintenance permitting and exemption application materials:

Beach Maintenance
Application Materials

How do I save and open the permit materials in ZIP format?

General Permit Attachments:

Removal of Plant and Animal Nuisance Deposits [ZIP 949KB]
Invasive and Non-native Species Management [ZIP 948KB]

Individual Permit Applications:

Dredging in Lakes [ZIP 1.1MB]
Dredging in Streams [ZIP 1.2MB]

Beach Maintenance
Additional Materials

Beach Maintenance Sample Drawings:

Dredging - Removal of Plant/Animal Nuisance Deposits [PDF 426KB]
Dredging - Motor Vehicle Use Invasive/Non-Native Species Management [PDF 432KB]

Beach Maintenance Exemption Materials:

In most cases you can remove washed up debris, vegetation, etc. by hand without any department approvals. However, placement of any material below the ordinary high water mark OHWM) requires a permit.

Beach Maintenance Activities Fact sheet [PDF 79KB]

Web page about the Ordinary High Water Mark

Please send your completed application materials to the permit intake address based on the county where your project is located on our Permit Intake & Contacts page.

Laws

Applicable statutes and codes include Section 30.20 Wis Stats. and Section 30.29 Wis Stats. [exit DNR], [PDF 572KB], Chapter NR 109 [exit DNR], [PDF 26KB], and Chapter NR 345 [exit DNR], [PDF 60KB].

Local permits and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulations may also apply. We advise you to contact your local zoning office and your regional U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office [exit DNR].

Last Revised: Tuesday July 19 2011