Chapter NR 343

NR 343.01 NR 343.01 Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to establish criteria defining those activities needing a permit for a pond or artificial water body as required by s. 30.19 (1g) (a) and (am), Stats.; and to specify permit requirements necessary to protect public health, safety, welfare, rights and interest and to protect riparian landowner’s rights and property for pond sites regulated under this chapter.

NR 343.01 History History: CR 04-086: cr. Register April 2005 No. 592, eff. 5-1-05.

NR 343.02 NR 343.02 Applicability.

NR 343.02(1) (1) Pond or artificial water body sites. This chapter applies to activities regulated under s. 30.19 (1g) (a) and (am), Stats. An application to construct, dredge or enlarge any part of a pond or artificial water body shall be filed with the department pursuant to ch. NR 300 by any person for any artificial water body that either:

NR 343.02(1)(a) (a) Connects with a navigable waterway.

NR 343.02(1)(b) (b) Is located within 500 feet of the ordinary high water mark of an existing navigable waterway.

NR 343.02 Note Note: This includes a stormwater management pond that does not discharge into a navigable waterway except as a result of storm events.

NR 343.02(2) (2) Compliance. Any person responsible for the site regulated by this chapter shall comply with all applicable provisions of this chapter and the appropriate permit issued pursuant to this chapter.

NR 343.02(3) (3) Exemptions. This chapter does not apply to any of the following:

NR 343.02(3)(a) (a) The construction or repair of any public highway where public highway has the meaning given for highway in s. 340.01 (22), Stats.

NR 343.02(3)(b) (b) Any agricultural use of land.

NR 343.02(3)(c) (c) An activity that affects a navigable inland lake that is located wholly or partly in any county having a population of 750,000 or more.

NR 343.02(3)(d) (d) Any activity that affects a portion of Lake Michigan, Lake Superior or a navigable stream that is located within a county having a population of 750,000 or more.

NR 343.02(3)(e) (e) Any work required to maintain the original dimensions of an enlargement of an artificial water body done pursuant to a permit or legislative authorization under s. 30.19 (1g) (a) or (am), Stats., provided appropriate erosion control practices are implemented and maintained and dredge spoils are disposed of in an appropriate manner and location.

NR 343.02(3)(f) (f) An infiltration device designed to meet the performance standards of s. NR 151.12 (5) (c) or to meet an equivalent local ordinance that requires volume reduction and is not located in a wetland or existing navigable waterway.

NR 343.02 Note Note: The landowner of a site exempt under par. (c) or (d) is still required to submit a notice of intent under subch. III of ch. NR 216 for land disturbing construction activity of one or more acres.

NR 343.02(3)(g) (g) A sediment trap draining a maximum of 5 acres and designed to meet the performance standards of s. NR 151.11 (6) or to meet an equivalent local ordinance and is not located in a wetland or existing navigable waterway.

NR 343.02(3)(h) (h) A temporary sediment basin or stormwater management pond designed to meet the performance standards of s. NR 151.11 (6) or to meet an equivalent local ordinance where the crest of the berm of the basin is more than 35 feet from the ordinary high water mark and no portion of the basin is within 100 feet of the location of any public rights feature as described in s. NR 1.06.

NR 343.02 Note Note: Nonmetallic mining projects shall be processed under ch. NR 340 and shall meet all the standards in ch. NR 340 not ch. NR 343.

NR 343.02 History History: CR 04-086: cr. Register April 2005 No. 592, eff. 5-1-05; CR 22-013: am. (1) (intro.) Register June 2023 No. 810, eff. 7-1-23.

NR 343.03 NR 343.03 Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions are applicable:

NR 343.03(1) (1) “Agricultural use of land” means planting, growing, cultivating and harvesting of crops for human or livestock consumption, pasturing or yarding of livestock, sod farms and beekeeping.

NR 343.03 Note Note: This definition is equivalent to the definition in s. 30.40 (1), Stats., and differs from the definition in ss. NR 151.002 (2) and 216.42 (2) only in that beekeeping is included and tree nurseries are not included.

NR 343.03(2) (2) “Artificial water body” means a proposed or existing body of water that does not have a history of being a lake or stream or of being part of a lake or stream.

NR 343.03(3) (3) “Connects with a navigable waterway” means any artificial waterbody that is attached by means of enlargement or by a natural or artificial channel or drainage course, or an open or closed conduit, any of which tend to confine and direct flow into the existing navigable waterway.

NR 343.03(4) (4) “Department” means the department of natural resources.

NR 343.03(5) (5) “Grading” means the physical disturbance of the bank by the addition, removal or redistribution of soil.

NR 343.03(6) (6) “Land disturbing construction activity” means any man-made alteration of the land surface resulting in a disturbance to soil or existing vegetative or non-vegetative soil cover that may result in stormwater runoff and lead to increased soil erosion and movement of sediment into waters of the state. Land disturbing construction activity includes clearing and grubbing, demolition, excavating, pit trench dewatering, filling and grading activities.

NR 343.03(7) (7) “Navigable waterway” means any body of water with a defined bed and bank, which is navigable under the laws of the state. In Wisconsin, a navigable body of water is capable of floating the lightest boat or skiff used for recreation or any other purpose on a regularly recurring basis.

NR 343.03 Note Note: This incorporates the definition at s. 30.01(4m), Stats., and current case law, which requires a watercourse to have a bed and banks, Hoyt v. City of Hudson, 27 Wis. 656 (1871), and requires a navigable waterway to float on a regularly recurring basis the lightest boat or skiff, DeGayner & Co., Inc. v. DNR, 70 Wis. 2d 936 (1975); Village of Menomonee Falls v. DNR, 140 Wis. 2d 579 (Ct. App. 1987).

NR 343.03(8) (8) “Ordinary high water mark” means the point on the bank or shore up to which the presence and action of water is so continuous as to leave a distinct mark either by erosion, destruction of terrestrial vegetation or other easily recognizable characteristic.

NR 343.03(9) (9) “Storm event” means any amount of precipitation equal to or greater than 0.01 inches with a minimum time between storms of 6 hours.

NR 343.03(10) (10) “Stormwater” means runoff from precipitation including rain, snow, ice melt or similar water that moves on the land surface via sheet or channelized flow.

NR 343.03(11) (11) “Stormwater management pond” means any temporary or permanent artificial water body designed to specifications generally accepted to reduce the water quantity or water quality impacts of stormwater and to hold water for any period of time. This does not include facilities to which this chapter is not applicable as listed in s. NR 343.02 (3) (f), (g) and (h).

NR 343.03 History History: CR 04-086: cr. Register April 2005 No. 592, eff. 5-1-05.

NR 343.04 NR 343.04 Pond or artificial water body application. All of the following information shall be submitted for a pond or artificial water body application:

NR 343.04(1) (1) Ownership. A copy of the deed, lease, land contract or other document showing ownership of the project site.

NR 343.04(2) (2) Photos. Photographs that clearly show the existing project area with a size reference.

NR 343.04(3) (3) Permission. Permission from landowners for department staff to enter the site.

NR 343.04(4) (4) Plans. Plan drawing sheet, including at least one typical cross-section detail.

NR 343.04(5) (5) Description. A narrative description of the pond or artificial water body proposal describing:

NR 343.04(5)(a) (a) What the project is.

NR 343.04(5)(b) (b) Methods, materials and equipment to be used.

NR 343.04(5)(c) (c) A construction schedule and sequence of work.

NR 343.04(5)(d) (d) Erosion control plan in accordance with s. NR 216.46.

NR 343.04(5)(e) (e) Site map in accordance with s. NR 343.05 (2).

NR 343.04 History History: CR 04-086: cr. Register April 2005 No. 592, eff. 5-1-05.

NR 343.05 NR 343.05 Erosion control plan requirements.

NR 343.05(1) (1) Site-specific plan. Any person required to submit an application for a pond or artificial water body under this chapter shall develop a site specific erosion control plan in accordance with s. NR 216.46 (1) to (4).

NR 343.05(2) (2) Site map requirements. Each pond or artificial water body site map shall include all of the following:

NR 343.05(2)(a) (a) Existing topography and drainage patterns, roads, waterways and floodplain boundaries.

NR 343.05(2)(b) (b) Location, description and elevation of a reference benchmark.

NR 343.05(2)(c) (c) Horizontal and vertical scale and north arrow.

NR 343.05(2)(d) (d) Approximate identification of the ordinary high water mark.

NR 343.05(2)(e) (e) Area between the project site and the water body to be left undisturbed.

NR 343.05(2)(f) (f) Boundaries of the construction site, including the area of land disturbing construction activity.

NR 343.05(2)(g) (g) Drainage patterns and approximate slopes anticipated after grading activities, including the existing and proposed slope of the bank and the water level of the existing waterway.

NR 343.05(2)(h) (h) Area of soil disturbance in square feet.

NR 343.05(2)(i) (i) Volume of earth to be added or removed in cubic yards.

NR 343.05(2)(j) (j) Location of any disposal area for dredged or excavated materials.

NR 343.05(2)(k) (k) Location of major structural and non-structural controls identified in the erosion control plan.

NR 343.05(2)(L) (L) Location of areas where stabilization practices will be employed.

NR 343.05(2)(m) (m) Areas that will be vegetated following land disturbing construction activities.

NR 343.05(2)(n) (n) Area and location of wetland acreage on the pond or artificial water body site and locations where stormwater is discharged to a surface water or wetland within one-quarter mile downstream of the pond or artificial water body site.

NR 343.05(2)(o) (o) Areas used for infiltration of post-construction stormwater runoff.

NR 343.05(2)(p) (p) An alphanumeric or equivalent coordinate system for the entire construction site.

NR 343.05 Note Note: Many of the requirements for a grading project site map are identical to the construction site map requirements of s. NR 216.46. A site map prepared to meet the requirements of s. NR 216.46 will need to add the information requested in pars. (b) to (e), (i) and (j).

NR 343.05(3) (3) Erosion and sediment control best management practices. The erosion control plan shall include a description of appropriate erosion and sediment control best management practices that will be installed and maintained at the pond or artificial water body site to prevent pollutants from reaching waters of the state. The erosion control plan shall clearly describe the appropriate erosion and sediment control best management practices for each major land disturbing construction activity and the timing during the period of land disturbing construction activity that the erosion and sediment control best management practices will be implemented. The erosion and sediment control best management practices shall be designed in accordance with s. NR 216.46 (6).

NR 343.05(4) (4) Erosion and sediment control technical standards.

NR 343.05(4)(a) (a) Erosion control measures shall meet or exceed the technical standards for erosion control approved by the department under subch. V of ch. NR 151. Any area where topsoil is exposed during construction shall be immediately seeded and mulched or riprapped to stabilize disturbed areas and prevent soils from being eroded and washed into the waterway.

NR 343.05 Note Note: These standards can be found at the following website: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/stormwater/standards/.

NR 343.05(4)(b) (b) Unless part of a permanent stormwater management system, all temporary erosion and sediment control practices shall be removed upon final site stabilization. Areas disturbed during removal shall be restored.

NR 343.05 History History: CR 04-086: cr. Register April 2005 No. 592, eff. 5-1-05.

NR 343.06 NR 343.06 Construction site inspections and maintenance. Any person required to submit an application for a pond or artificial water body under this chapter shall follow the reporting and monitoring requirements in s. NR 216.48 (4).

NR 343.06 History History: CR 04-086: cr. Register April 2005 No. 592, eff. 5-1-05.

NR 343.07 NR 343.07 General permit.

NR 343.07(1) (1) Procedures.

NR 343.07(1)(a) (a) General permits shall be processed according to the procedures in ch. NR 300.

NR 343.07(1)(b) (b) If the department determines that a pond or artificial water body application submitted under this section has the potential to impact an endangered or threatened species in accordance with s. 29.604, Stats., the application shall be deemed incomplete until the applicant submits documentation to demonstrate one of the following:

NR 343.07(1)(b)1. 1. The pond or artificial water body project avoids impacts to the endangered or threatened species in accordance with s. 29.604, Stats.

NR 343.07(1)(b)2. 2. The pond or artificial water body project has received an incidental take authorization under s. 29.604, Stats.

NR 343.07(1)(c) (c) If the applicant modifies the pond or artificial waterbody project plans to meet the requirements of par. (b), the modified plans shall be submitted before the department may consider the application complete or authorized under a general permit.

NR 343.07(2) (2) Applicable activities. A pond or artificial water body project that meets the standards in sub. (3) shall be eligible for general permit coverage under ss. 30.19 (3r) (a) and (b) and 30.206, Stats.

NR 343.07(3) (3) General permit standards. The department may issue a general permit for the construction, dredging or enlargement of any part of a pond or artificial water body that meets all of the standards in par. (a) and either par. (b), (c) or (d) as follows:

NR 343.07(3)(a) (a) Standards for all pond construction under general permits.

NR 343.07(3)(a)1. 1. The site shall meet the construction site performance standards of s. NR 151.11 for land disturbing construction activities for non-transportation projects and s. NR 151.23 for transportation projects.

NR 343.07(3)(a)2. 2. The pond or artificial water body is designed in accordance with best management practices required for stormwater discharge permits under ch. NR 216, or to meet a local ordinance for stormwater management.

NR 343.07(3)(a)3. 3. The pond or artificial water body may not be associated with any metallic or non-metallic mining project.

NR 343.07(3)(a)4. 4. To stop the spread of invasive species and viruses from one navigable waterway to another navigable waterway, all equipment or portions of equipment used for constructing, operating, or maintaining the project, including tracked vehicles, barges, boats, silt or turbidity curtains, hoses, sheet piles, and pumps, shall be decontaminated for invasive species and viruses before and after use or prior to use within another navigable waterway. Decontamination activities shall be performed by taking actions specified in subd. 4. a. to c. or h. Decontamination shall include either subd. 4. d., e., f., g., or h. for any equipment, or portions of equipment, that is used in non-frozen navigable waters when the air temperature is above 19 degrees Fahrenheit at the time the decontamination procedures take place.