Wisconsin Water Use Registration and Reporting Rule (CR10-059)

Most Recent Action

Water supply systems with the capacity to withdraw 100,000 gallons per day or 70 gallons per minute or more on their property are required to register with the state by June 30, 2011.

Background

This rule is one of seven rules that the DNR will be promulgating in order to implement the legislation that ratified the Great Lakes Compact in Wisconsin, 2007 Wisconsin Act 227. The other rules include Water Use Fees for the Great Lakes Basin;Water Conservation and Use Efficiency; Water Supply Service Area Planning; Water Loss and Consumptive Use; Water Use Permitting; and Water Use Public Participation.

This particular rule provides specific processes and methods for registering, measuring, and reporting water withdrawals and diversions from the Great Lake Basin.

Registering
- Any person in the state who has or proposes to have a water supply system with the capacity to withdraw an average of 100,000 gallons per day or more in any 30-day period or who diverts water in any amount from the Great Lakes Basin is required to register with the Department.
- The rule sets forth the procedures and information required for registration.
Measuring
- Any person registered must measure the volume of water withdrawn every month.
- The rule identifies a range of options for measuring withdrawals including an option that allows for tailoring a measurement process on a case by case basis for challenging situations like aquaculture facilities.
- The purchase of new metering devices is NOT required by the rule.
Reporting
- Any person in the state who withdraws an average of 100,000 gallons per day or more in any 30-day period or who diverts any amount from the Great Lakes Basin must annually report to the Department their monthly volumes of withdrawal or diversion.
- Reporting for each calendar year is required by March 1 the following year.
- The rule provides flexibility in how the information is collected to help eliminate duplication of reporting to the Department.

Information gathered from the process will be used to develop an inventory that will help answer the following questions about water use in Wisconsin:

How much water are we using?
Where are we using it?
What are we using it for?

Authority

Section 281.346(3)(b), Stats., authorizes the DNR to promulgate rules to establish information requirements for statewide water withdrawal registration and reporting.

Standards

The rule sets forth definitions, procedures and information requirements for registrations, procedures for amending and terminating registrations, methods for measuring withdrawals, and procedures for annual reporting.

Any person who has or proposes to have a water supply system with the capacity to withdraw 100,000 gallons per day or more in any 30-day period or who diverts water in any amount from the Great Lakes Basin must register with the DNR.

Any person registered must measure the volume of water withdrawn every month. The rule identifies a range of options for measuring withdrawals including an option that allows for tailoring a measurement process on a case by case basis.

Any person in the state who withdraws an average of 100,000 gallons per day or more in any 30-day period or who diverts any amount from the Great Lakes Basin must annually report to the DNR their monthly volumes of withdrawal or diversion. Reporting for each calendar year is required by March 1 the following year.

Additional Information

Rule Factsheet

The DNR Water Use Rules website.

The DNR Water Use Registration and Reporting website.

Great Lakes Basin Map

Related Documents

Statement of Scope

Initial Proposed Rulemaking Order

Fiscal Estimate

Report to Clearinghouse

This rule was adopted at the August 10 Natural Resources Board meeting.

Final Proposed Rulemaking Order, August 23, 2010