Choosing Best Practices: What’s a good fit for your property?

Can you manage erosion and runoff concerns on your own with support of Healthy Lakes & Rivers? Review the statements below to see if they apply to your shoreland property.

Water flows evenly or in small channels (not more than an inch or two deep) from hard surfaces to the lake or river.
The hard surface that drains to a single area is 1,000 square feet or less. Larger areas of hard surface may generate too much runoff for a Healthy Lakes & Rivers practice to adequately capture and control.

If you answered TRUE to both statements, then Healthy Lakes & Rivers best practices are likely a good fit for your property. Visit the Best Practices page to learn more, find technical guides, and explore resources.

If you answered FALSE to one or both of the statements, then your runoff and erosion concerns are likely beyond the scope of Healthy Lakes & Rivers practices.

Healthy Lakes & Rivers practices are designed for projects that can be installed with $1,000 or  less of grant support either as a do-it-yourself project or with contractor installation.  Design guidance is provided through Healthy Lakes & Rivers. Some projects require more  sophisticated design and are likely to be considerably more expensive to install.

Some projects are not only beyond the scope of Healthy Lakes & Rivers, but may require engineering assistance. Professional assistance is recommended where one or more of the following occur:

Construction occurs on slopes >20%
More than 20,000 square feet are cleared
More than two acres drain to an eroded area
Severe gully erosion (at least one foot deep) is present
You are not comfortable implementing solutions on your own

The Wisconsin DNR has alternative surface water grant funding available for more complex projects. To find out what funding options might be best, please reach out to your local Environmental Grants Specialist or Biologist for assistance. You may also contact your County Land and Water Conservation Department for more information.

Download or order copies of the Decision Tool: Managing Runoff with Healthy Lakes & Rivers Practices. Using this guide may require additional technical assistance.

Choosing Best Practices: What’s a good fit for your property?

Can you manage erosion and runoff concerns on your own with support of Healthy Lakes & Rivers? Review the statements below to see if they apply to your shoreland property.

Water flows evenly or in small channels (not more than an inch or two deep) from hard surfaces to the lake or river.

The hard surface that drains to a single area is 1,000 square feet or less. Larger areas of hard surface may generate too much runoff for a Healthy Lakes & Rivers practice to adequately capture and control.

If you answered TRUE to both statements, then Healthy Lakes & Rivers best practices are likely a good fit for your property. Visit the Best Practices page to learn more, find technical guides, and explore resources.

If you answered FALSE to one or both of the statements, then your runoff and erosion concerns are likely beyond the scope of Healthy Lakes & Rivers practices.

Best Practices

Fish Sticks

Native Plantings

Diversion

Rock Infiltration

Rain Garden