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Under this bill, after DNR develops a groundwater management plan for a
groundwater management area, DNR may not approve a high capacity well in the
groundwater management area unless the high capacity well is consistent with the
groundwater management plan for the area.
This bill also requires DNR, after it develops a groundwater management plan,
to review approvals for high capacity wells in the groundwater management area
that were issued before the plan went into effect. The bill authorizes DNR to modify
these approvals to ensure that they are consistent with the groundwater
management plan.
High capacity wells and mining operations
Current law generally prohibits DNR from approving a high capacity well, for
mining purposes, that will result in the unreasonable detriment of public or private
water supplies or of public rights in the waters of the state. However, current law
allows DNR to approve such a high capacity well if DNR is able to include conditions
in the approval or the mining permit that ensure that these detriments will not occur.
These conditions may include providing a replacement water supply, providing
additional water to the harmed water supply, or temporarily augmenting the
quantity or quality of the harmed waters of the state. This bill removes DNR's
authority to approve a high capacity well, for mining purposes, that will result in the
unreasonable detriment of public or private water supplies or of public rights in the
waters of the state.
Other provisions
Fees for certain withdrawals
Current law imposes an annual fee of $125 on a person whose water supply
system has the capacity to withdraw an average of 100,000 gallons per day in any
30-day period from the waters of the state. This bill increases that annual fee to
$250.
DNR has also established, by rule, water use fees for users who withdraw more
than 50,000,000 gallons per year from the Great Lakes basin. This bill directs DNR
to establish such fees for users who withdraw more than 50,000,000 gallons per year
from any waters of the state.
Water conservation
This bill also requires DNR to include water conservation requirements in the
approvals required for certain withdrawals from lakes or streams or relating to

water or sewerage systems or sewage and refuse disposal plants, if the withdrawal
is in a groundwater management area, and requires those conservation
requirements to be consistent with the groundwater management plan for the
groundwater management area.
Hydrologic study
The bill also eliminates the provisions under current law that require DNR to
study and recommend special measures relating to groundwater for adoption by the
legislature.
Groundwater and mining operations
Current law prohibits DNR from requiring a mining permit applicant to
generate a hydrologic model of the proposed mining waste site that examines a
period of more than 250 years after closure of the mining waste site. The bill
eliminates this prohibition.
The bill also eliminates the current law provision that prohibits DNR from
applying groundwater enforcement standards at a mining operation at any point in
the Precambrian bedrock below which the groundwater is not reasonably capable of
being used for human consumption.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB732,1 1Section 1 . 20.370 (4) (ad) of the statutes is created to read:
SB732,5,42 20.370 (4) (ad) Groundwater management area designation and planning.
3From the general fund, a sum sufficient for groundwater management area
4designation and planning under s. 281.341 (2) and (3).
SB732,2 5Section 2 . 20.370 (4) (ae) of the statutes is created to read:
SB732,5,86 20.370 (4) (ae) Voluntary groundwater management area grants. From the
7general fund, a sum sufficient to provide grants under s. 281.341 (4) for developing
8and implementing groundwater management plans.
SB732,3 9Section 3 . 20.370 (4) (cr) of the statutes is repealed.
SB732,4 10Section 4 . 20.370 (6) (eg) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB732,6,4
120.370 (6) (eg) Groundwater mitigation and local assistance. All moneys
2received under s. 281.34 not appropriated under sub. (4) (cg) or (ch) for mitigation
3under s. 281.34 (8) (d) and (9) (d) and funding to local governmental units under s.
4281.34 (9) (b)
.
SB732,5 5Section 5. 281.34 (1) (er) of the statutes is created to read:
SB732,6,116 281.34 (1) (er) “Significant adverse environmental impact" means alteration
7of groundwater levels, groundwater discharge, surface water levels, surface water
8discharge, groundwater temperature, surface water temperature, groundwater
9chemistry, surface water chemistry, or other factors to the extent that those
10alterations cause significant degradation of environmental quality, including
11biological and ecological aspects of the affected water resource.
SB732,6 12Section 6 . 281.34 (1) (f) of the statutes is repealed.
SB732,7 13Section 7. 281.34 (2s) of the statutes is created to read:
SB732,6,1714 281.34 (2s) Public notice. The department shall require an applicant for
15approval of a high capacity well to provide notice of the application to interested
16members of the public by publication as a class 1 notice under ch. 985. In the notice,
17the applicant shall identify the owner and location of the high capacity well.
SB732,8 18Section 8. 281.34 (4) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB732,6,2019 281.34 (4) (a) 3. A high capacity well that may have a significant adverse
20environmental impact on a spring waters of the state.
SB732,9 21Section 9. 281.34 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB732,7,522 281.34 (5) (a) Public water supply. If the department determines that a
23proposed high capacity well may impair the water supply of a public utility engaged
24in furnishing water to or for the public, the department may not approve the high
25capacity well unless it is able to include and includes conditions in the approval

1conditions to ensure that the water supply of the public utility will not be impaired,
2which may include conditions as to location, depth, pumping capacity, rate of flow,
3monitoring, and ultimate use, that will ensure that the water supply of the public
4utility will not be impaired
and any other condition the department determines is
5necessary
.
SB732,10 6Section 10. 281.34 (5) (b) 1. and 2. of the statutes are amended to read:
SB732,7,167 281.34 (5) (b) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., if the department determines,
8under the environmental review process in sub. (4), that an environmental impact
9report under s. 23.11 (5) must be prepared for a proposed high capacity well located
10in a groundwater protection area, the department may not approve the high capacity
11well unless it is able to include and includes conditions in the approval conditions to
12ensure that the high capacity well does not cause significant adverse environmental
13impact
, which may include conditions as to location, depth, pumping capacity, rate
14of flow, monitoring, and ultimate use, that ensure that the high capacity well does
15not cause significant environmental impact
and any other condition the department
16determines is necessary
.
SB732,8,217 2. Subdivision 1. does not apply to a proposed high capacity well that is located
18in a groundwater protection area and that is a water supply for a public utility
19engaged in supplying water to or for the public, if the department determines that
20there is no other reasonable alternative location for a well and is able to include and
21includes conditions in the approval conditions to ensure that the environmental
22impact of the well is balanced by the public benefit of the well related to public health
23and safety
, which may include conditions as to location, depth, pumping capacity,
24rate of flow, monitoring, and ultimate use, that ensure that the environmental

1impact of the well is balanced by the public benefit of the well related to public health
2and safety
and any other condition the department determines is necessary.
SB732,11 3Section 11. 281.34 (5) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB732,8,134 281.34 (5) (c) High water loss. If the department determines, under the
5environmental review process in sub. (4), that an environmental impact report under
6s. 23.11 (5) must be prepared for a proposed high capacity well with a water loss of
7more than 95 percent of the amount of water withdrawn, the department may not
8approve the high capacity well unless it is able to include and includes conditions in
9the approval conditions to ensure that the high capacity well does not cause
10significant adverse environmental impact
, which may include conditions as to
11location, depth, pumping capacity, rate of flow, monitoring, and ultimate use, that
12ensure that the high capacity well does not cause significant environmental impact

13and any other condition the department determines is necessary.
SB732,12 14Section 12. 281.34 (5) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB732,8,2515 281.34 (5) (d) Impact on a spring waters of the state. 1. Except as provided in
16subd. 2., if the department determines, under the environmental review process in
17sub. (4), that an environmental impact report under s. 23.11 (5) must be prepared for
18a proposed high capacity well that may have a significant adverse environmental
19impact on a spring waters of the state, the department may not approve the high
20capacity well unless it is able to include and includes conditions in the approval
21conditions to ensure that the high capacity well does not cause significant adverse
22environmental impact
, which may include conditions as to location, depth, pumping
23capacity, rate of flow, monitoring, and ultimate use, that ensure that the high
24capacity well does not cause significant environmental impact
and any other
25condition the department determines is necessary
.
SB732,9,11
12. Subdivision 1. does not apply to a proposed high capacity well that may have
2a significant adverse environmental impact on a spring waters of the state and that
3is a water supply for a public utility engaged in supplying water to or for the public,
4if the department determines that there is no other reasonable alternative location
5for a well and is able to include and includes conditions in the approval conditions
6to ensure that the environmental impact of the well is balanced by the public benefit
7of the well related to public health and safety
, which may include conditions as to
8location, depth, pumping capacity, rate of flow, monitoring, and ultimate use, that
9ensure that the environmental impact of the well is balanced by the public benefit
10of the well related to public health and safety
and any other condition the department
11determines is necessary
.
SB732,13 12Section 13 . 281.34 (5) (ds) of the statutes is created to read:
SB732,9,1613 281.34 (5) (ds) Groundwater management plan. If a high capacity well is in a
14groundwater management area designated under s. 281.341 (2) with a groundwater
15management plan under s. 281.341 (3) in effect, the department may not approve the
16high capacity well unless it is consistent with that plan.
SB732,14 17Section 14 . 281.34 (5) (e) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
SB732,9,2218 281.34 (5) (e) 3. The department may include in the approval for a high capacity
19well conditions requiring the owner to implement a monitoring program to evaluate
20environmental impacts caused by operation of the high capacity well, and to submit
21the results of the monitoring program to the department. The department may
22modify the approval based on the results of the monitoring program.
SB732,15 23Section 15. 281.34 (5m) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB732,9,2524 281.34 (5m) Consideration of cumulative impacts. No person may challenge
25an approval, or an application for approval, of a
When determining whether an

1existing
high capacity well based on the lack of consideration of or a proposed high
2capacity well may have a significant adverse environmental impact on the waters of
3the state, the department shall consider
the cumulative environmental impacts of
4that high capacity well together with existing wells withdrawals.
SB732,16 5Section 16 . 281.34 (7) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB732,10,76 281.34 (7) (title) Modifying and rescinding Duration, modification, and
7rescission of
approvals for high capacity wells.
SB732,17 8Section 17. 281.34 (7) of the statutes is renumbered 281.34 (7) (b) (intro.) and
9amended to read:
SB732,10,1610 281.34 (7) (b) (intro.) The An approval of a high capacity well issued under this
11section or under s. 281.17 (1), 2001 stats., prior to the effective date of this paragraph
12.... [LRB inserts date]
, remains in effect for the following periods unless the
13department modifies or rescinds the approval under par. (c) 3. or sub. (5) (e) 3. or
14modifies or rescinds the approval
because the high capacity well or the use of the high
15capacity well is not in conformance with standards or conditions applicable to the
16approval of the high capacity well.:
SB732,18 17Section 18 . 281.34 (7) (a) of the statutes is created to read:
SB732,10,2318 281.34 (7) (a) An approval of a high capacity well issued under this section on
19or after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], may not remain
20in effect for more than 10 years and may be modified under par. (c) 3. or sub. (5) (e)
213. or modified or rescinded because the high capacity well or the use of the high
22capacity well is not in conformance with standards or conditions applicable to the
23approval of the high capacity well.
SB732,19 24Section 19 . 281.34 (7) (b) 1. to 5. of the statutes are created to read:
SB732,11,2
1281.34 (7) (b) 1. For an approval of a high capacity well issued before January
21, 1980, 8 years from the effective date of this subdivision .... [LRB inserts date].
SB732,11,53 2. For an approval of a high capacity well issued on or after January 1, 1980,
4and before January 1, 1990, 10 years from the effective date of this subdivision ....
5[LRB inserts date].
SB732,11,86 3. For an approval of a high capacity well issued on or after January 1, 1990,
7and before January 1, 2000, 12 years from the effective date of this subdivision ....
8[LRB inserts date].
SB732,11,119 4. For an approval of a high capacity well issued on or after January 1, 2000,
10and before January 1, 2010, 14 years from the effective date of this subdivision ....
11[LRB inserts date].
SB732,11,1412 5. For an approval of a high capacity well issued on or after January 1, 2010,
13and before the effective date of this subdivision .... [LRB inserts date], 16 years from
14the effective date of this subdivision .... [LRB inserts date].
SB732,20 15Section 20 . 281.34 (7) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
SB732,11,2116 281.34 (7) (c) 1. After a groundwater management plan under s. 281.341 (3)
17takes effect for a groundwater management area designated under s. 281.341 (2), the
18department shall review, for consistency with the groundwater management plan,
19approvals for high capacity wells in the groundwater management area that were
20issued under this section or under s. 281.17 (1), 2001 stats., before the plan took
21effect.
SB732,12,222 2. After conducting the review under subd. 1. for a groundwater management
23area designated under s. 281.341 (2), the department may periodically review, for
24consistency with the groundwater management plan, the approvals issued under

1this section or under s. 281.17 (1), 2001 stats., for high capacity wells in the
2groundwater management area.
SB732,12,73 3. The department may modify an approval issued under this section or under
4s. 281.17 (1), 2001 stats., of a high capacity well, after a review under subd. 1. or 2.,
5as necessary to ensure that the high capacity well is consistent with the groundwater
6management plan for the groundwater management area in which the high capacity
7well is located.
SB732,21 8Section 21 . 281.34 (7m) of the statutes is repealed.
SB732,22 9Section 22 . 281.34 (9) of the statutes is repealed.
SB732,23 10Section 23 . 281.341 of the statutes is created to read:
SB732,12,12 11281.341 Groundwater management areas. (1) Definitions. In this
12section:
SB732,12,1313 (a) “Aquitard" means a geologic formation having low permeability.
SB732,12,1714 (b) “Baseflow" means the sustained flow of a stream, principally by
15groundwater discharge, in the absence of direct runoff, calculated as the 7-day low
16flow that occurs on an average of once in every 10 years, or as determined by the
17department using other statistical measures.
SB732,12,1918 (c) “Confined aquifer" means a water-bearing geologic formation that is
19bounded on its upper surface by an aquitard.
SB732,12,2020 (d) “Local governmental unit” has the meaning given in s. 281.34 (1) (c).
SB732,12,2121 (e) “Potentiometric surface" has the meaning given in s. 281.34 (1) (e).
SB732,12,2522 (f) “Sustainable hydrologic conditions" means the balance between
23groundwater consumption and groundwater replenishment in which there are no
24significant adverse environmental impacts, as defined in s. 281.34 (1) (er), to surface
25water or groundwater.
SB732,13,3
1(g) “Target date" means a date by which it is reasonable to expect that a
2groundwater management area will no longer qualify for designation as a
3groundwater management area.
SB732,13,54 (h) “Unconfined aquifer" means a water-bearing geologic formation that is not
5bounded on its upper surface by an aquitard.
SB732,13,7 6(2) Groundwater management area designation. (a) The department may, by
7rule, designate an area as a groundwater management area.
SB732,13,98 (b) An area with a confined aquifer qualifies for designation as a groundwater
9management area if any of the following applies:
SB732,13,1210 1. The potentiometric surface of the confined aquifer has been reduced by 150
11feet or more from what the potentiometric surface would be if no groundwater had
12been pumped from the area.
SB732,13,1513 2. The potentiometric surface of the confined aquifer has been reduced to less
14than 20 feet above the top of the aquitard bounding the upper surface of the confined
15aquifer.
SB732,13,1716 3. The static water level in the majority of the wells that pump water from the
17confined aquifer is below the bottom of the confined aquifer's bounding aquitard.
SB732,13,1918 4. The potentiometric surface of the confined aquifer is declining at a rate
19exceeding 5 feet per year averaged over a 10-year period.
SB732,13,2020 5. The department has initiated an action under s. 30.03 (4) relating to the area.
SB732,13,2221 (c) An area with an unconfined aquifer qualifies for designation as a
22groundwater management area if any of the following applies:
SB732,14,223 1. The baseflow of the streams in the area has declined by more than 10 percent
24from what the baseflow of the streams would be if no groundwater had been pumped

1from the area and that decline has resulted in significant adverse environmental
2impact, as defined in s. 281.34 (1) (er).
SB732,14,43 2. The water table elevation of the unconfined aquifer is declining at a rate
4exceeding one foot per year averaged over a 10-year period.
SB732,14,75 3. The withdrawal of groundwater in the area has caused a decline in the water
6table of one foot or more beneath, or adjacent to, lakes or wetlands in the area, as
7determined by use of groundwater flow modeling.
SB732,14,88 4. The department has initiated an action under s. 30.03 (4) relating to the area.
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