Dam safety compliance

Wisconsin dam safety requirements

Wisconsin DNR dam safety program (Wis. Stat. §31.19) — what a private owner actually has to do, and when.

Frequently asked questions

When is a Wisconsin dam's inspection report due?

No later than 90 days after the date of the inspection — a triggered filing window, not a fixed calendar date. That inspection itself runs on a hazard-based cycle relative to DNR's own inspection schedule: roughly 2x between each DNR visit for High and Significant hazard, and once every 10 years for Low.

Why doesn't Dam-Sure show a next-due date for my Wisconsin dam yet?

Because Wisconsin's public dam inventory only records a last-inspection date on about 30% of dams, and even where it's populated, the field doesn't reliably distinguish the owner's own required inspection from a DNR field visit. A confidently-computed date built on that would look authoritative while frequently being wrong, so Dam-Sure shows no due date rather than a fabricated one. Look up your dam to see its record as published; this is a known, tracked gap, not a bug.

Is Wisconsin's dam inspection deadline calendar-based?

No. Unlike Georgia's or Pennsylvania's fixed annual date, Wisconsin's 90-day filing window is entirely owner-triggered — it starts counting only once an inspection actually happens, so there's no single date on the calendar every owner shares.

How to self-inspect a small dam

Even without a computable filing deadline here yet, routine self-inspection still matters — it's what starts the 90-day clock in the first place. Dam-Sure's inspection tool walks through six checkpoints, the same order a formal engineer inspection follows:

  1. Crest — walk the full length of the crest, checking for cracking, settlement, or unusual vegetation.
  2. Upstream slope — check the upstream slope for erosion, slumping, or animal burrows.
  3. Downstream slope — check the downstream slope for seepage, wet areas, or sinkholes.
  4. Spillway — confirm the spillway is clear of debris and vegetation and free to pass flow.
  5. Outlet works / drains — check outlet works and drains for blockage, damage, or unusual flow.
  6. Instrumentation — read and record any installed instrumentation, such as piezometers or staff gauges, where present.

Sourced from Wis. Stat. §31.19(2)(ag)3 and Wis. Admin. Code ch. NR 333, plus Wisconsin DNR's own inspection guidance. See Wisconsin DNR: Dam Inspections for the primary source. This page is informational, not legal advice — verify current requirements with Wisconsin DNR directly.

Requirements for other states: Connecticut · Georgia · Massachusetts · North Carolina · New York · Ohio · Pennsylvania