Resources for waterfront property owners

This page covers best practices and regulations for property owners with shorelines along lakes or rivers in Wisconsin. If you have questions about shoreland zoning restrictions on your property, please contact your local county zoning authority.

Shoreland management practices

• Choosing the Right Waterfront Property (2021)
• The Water´s Edge: Helping fish and wildlife on your waterfront property (2004)
• Managing Wisconsin´s Forested Shorelands - A Landowner´s Guide (2001)
• Sensible Shoreland Lighting (2000)
• Forestry Best Management Practices for Water Quality (2005)
• Protecting Your Waterfront Investment (2012)
• Impervious Surfaces: How They Impact Fish, Wildlife and Waterfront Property Values (2013)
• Lake Classification Fact Sheet Series. Wisconsin Lakes Partnership (1999)

​​​​Laws and regulations

• Chapter NR 115, Wis. Admin. Code - Wisconsin's Shoreland Management Program
• Chapter NR 116, Wis. Admin. Code - Wisconsin's Floodplain Management Program
• Chapter NR 117, Wis. Admin. Code Wisconsin's City and Village Shoreland-Wetland Protection Program
• Chapter NR 118, Wis. Admin. Code - Standards and Criteria for the Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway