31.01(1) (1) "Corporation" means a private corporation organized under the laws of this state.

31.01(2) (2) "Department" means the department of natural resources.

31.01(3) (3) "Grantee" means the person, firm, corporation or municipality to whom a permit is granted, and all subsequent owners of the grant.

31.01(4) (4) "Municipality" means any town, village, city or county in the state.

31.01(5) (5) "Navigable waters" means all waters declared navigable by ch. 30.

31.01(6) (6) "Permit", unless the context otherwise requires, means legislative permission granted under s. 31.06 to construct, operate and maintain a dam in or across navigable waters, or under s. 31.08 to continue the operation and maintenance of any dam so situated which was constructed before such legislative permits were required.

31.02(1) (1) The department, in the interest of public rights in navigable waters or to promote safety and protect life, health and property may regulate and control the level and flow of water in all navigable waters and may erect, or may order and require bench marks to be erected, upon which shall be designated the maximum level of water that may be impounded and the lowest level of water that may be maintained by any dam heretofore or hereafter constructed and maintained and which will affect the level and flow of navigable waters; and may by order fix a level for any body of navigable water below which the same shall not be lowered except as provided in this chapter; and shall establish and maintain gauging stations upon the various navigable waters of the state and shall take other steps necessary to determine and record the characteristics of such waters.

31.02(2) (2) The department may investigate and determine all reasonable methods of construction, operation, maintenance, and equipment for any dam so as to conserve and protect all public rights in navigable waters and so as to protect life, health and property; and the construction, operation, maintenance and equipment, or any or all thereof, of dams in navigable waters shall be subject to the supervision of the department and to the orders and regulations of the department made or promulgated under this chapter.

31.02(3) (3) The department or any member or any agent or employe thereof shall at all times be accorded free access to any and all parts of any dam and appurtenances constructed or maintained in navigable waters and may enter upon any property to investigate a waterway or use of water from any lake or stream.

31.02(4) (4) The department may order and require any dam heretofore or hereafter constructed to be equipped and operated, in whole or part, as follows:

31.02(5) (5) The department shall give written notice to the public service commission of any hearing under this chapter involving public utilities.

31.02(6) (6) The department shall operate, repair and maintain the dams and dykes constructed across drainage ditches and streams in drainage districts, in the interest of drainage control, water conservation, irrigation, conservation, pisciculture and to provide areas suitable for the nesting and breeding of aquatic wild bird life and the propagation of fur-bearing animals.

31.02(7) (7) The department shall confer with the drainage commissioners in each drainage district on the formation of policies for the operation and maintenance of the dams; in districts having no commissioners, the department shall confer in like manner with the committee appointed by the county board, if any, to represent either such drainage district, or in the event that the drainage district is dissolved, to represent the interests of the county in all matters whatsoever pertaining to water conservation and control within the area which theretofore constituted such drainage district.

31.02(8) (8) The department shall give careful consideration to the suggestions of the drainage commissioners or committee of the county board, but the final decision in all matters under consideration shall rest with the department.

31.02(9) (9) So far as seems practicable, the department may designate or employ the drainage commissioners of any drainage district, or the committee of the county board above referred to, to operate the dams in such district or area formerly comprising a drainage district or perform services in the repair and maintenance of the dams, dykes and other works.

31.045(1)(1) For the construction, raising or enlarging of a dam that will affect the water level in a drainage district organized under ch. 88, no person who obtains a permit under this chapter may construct, raise or enlarge the dam unless the person obtains the approval of the drainage board with jurisdiction of the drainage district.

31.045(2) (2) For the construction, raising or enlarging of a dam that will affect the water level in a drain, for an individual landowner, that is constructed under an order issued under s. 88.94, no person who obtains a permit under this chapter may construct, raise or enlarge the dam unless the person obtains the approval of the landowner.

31.05(1) (1) The name of the navigable waters in or across which a dam is proposed to be constructed and a specific description of the site for the proposed dam.

31.05(2) (2) The purpose or purposes for which the proposed dam is to be constructed, operated and maintained.

31.05(3) (3) In case the application is for a permit to construct, operate and maintain a dam for a private purpose, proof satisfactory to the department that the applicant owns or has an enforceable option to purchase the described dam site and at least 65% of the land to be flowed, or the flowage rights on at least 65% of such land. This subsection shall not apply to a person who has the power of eminent domain.

31.05(4) (4) A general description of the proposed dam, of the material to be used in the construction thereof, and a general description of all booms, piers, and other protection works to be constructed in connection therewith.

31.05(5) (5) The approximate amount of hydraulic power that the proposed dam is capable of developing.

31.05(6) (6) The name of the city, village or town in which the site of the proposed dam will be located and the name of the nearest existing dam above and below the site of the proposed dam.

31.05(7) (7) A map on the scale of not less than one inch per 1,000 feet showing the lands that may be affected by the construction, operation or maintenance of the proposed dam, or by any flowage that may be caused thereby and approximately the outline of such flowage, which map shall indicate the ownership of each tract of land within the flowage.

31.05(8) (8) Such additional information of any nature that may be required by the department.

31.06(1)(1) Upon receipt of an application for a permit the department may order a hearing or it may mail a notice that it will proceed on the application without public hearing unless a request for a public hearing is filed as hereinafter provided. The notice shall be mailed to the clerk of each municipality directly affected thereby and the department may give further or other notice as it deems proper. The department shall mail a copy of the notice to the applicant who shall cause the same to be published in each county in which affected riparian lands are located as a class 1 notice, under ch. 985. If a hearing is not requested in writing within 30 days after mailing of the notice, the department may waive the hearing.

31.06(2) (2) 

31.06(3) (3) At such hearing or any adjournment thereof the department shall consider the application, and shall take evidence offered by the applicant and other persons in support thereof or in opposition thereto, may require the amendment of the application, and if it appears that the construction, operation or maintenance of the proposed dam is in the public interest, considering ecological, aesthetic, economic and recreational values, the department shall so find and grant a permit to the applicant, provided the department also finds that the applicant has complied with s. 31.14 (2) or (3) and, where applicable, with s. 31.05 (3), based on the department's own estimate of the area of the flowage. The enjoyment of natural scenic beauty and environmental quality are declared to be public rights to be considered along with other public rights and the economic need of electric power for the full development of agricultural and industrial activity and other useful purposes in the area to be served. In considering public rights to the recreational use and natural scenic beauty of the river, the department shall investigate the potentialities of the lake and lake shore created by the flowage and shall weigh the recreational use and scenic beauty thereof against the known recreational use and scenic beauty of the river in its natural state, and the department shall further weigh the known recreational use and scenic beauty of the particular section of river involved against the known recreational use and scenic beauty of other sections of the same river and other rivers in the area remaining in their natural state (without regard to plans of other dams subsequently filed or to be filed); if it appears that the river in its natural state offers greater recreational facilities and scenic value for a larger number of people than can by proper control of the flowage level be obtained from the use of the lake and lake shore and that the remaining sections of the river and other rivers in the area in their natural state provide an insufficient amount of recreational facilities and scenic beauty, and if it further appears that the economic need of electric power is less than the value of the recreational and scenic beauty advantages of such river in its natural state, the department shall so find and the permit be denied. If the department finds that approval of the permit will cause environmental pollution, as defined in s. 299.01 (4), the permit shall be denied.

31.06(4) (4) Not more than 20 days after receiving notice as provided in sub. (1) each county clerk may and upon request of the chairperson of the county board shall give written notice as provided in s. 59.11 (2) of a special meeting of the county board to be held at a time and place set by the county clerk, not less than 2 weeks nor more than 3 weeks after mailing of such notice, for the purpose of making findings as hereinafter provided. The county clerk shall give notice of the time, place and purpose of such special meeting to the department and to the applicant, who shall cause the same to be published in the county, as a class 2 notice, under ch. 985, and the applicant shall cause a copy thereof to be mailed at least 7 days prior to such special meeting to every person interested in any lands that will be affected by the proposed dam and whose post-office address can by due diligence be ascertained. Proof of such publication and notice shall be filed with the county clerk. At such special meeting the county board shall hear evidence offered by the applicant and other persons and shall find and determine by a majority vote of the county board members-elect whether the lake and lake shore created by the flowage or the river in its natural state offers greater recreational facilities and scenic beauty value for the larger number of people. The county clerk shall forthwith certify such finding and determination to the department. The jurisdiction and findings of each county board shall apply to that part of the proposed dam and flowage which is within the county.

31.06(5) (5) If a hearing on the application for a permit is conducted as a part of a hearing under s. 293.43, the notice and hearing provisions in that section supersede the notice and hearing provisions of this section.

31.07(1) (1) The name of the navigable waters in or across which such dam was constructed and a specific description of the dam site.

31.07(2) (2) The year in which the construction of the dam was completed, and a detailed description of the dam and equipment, including the maximum height or head of water that may be maintained thereby and the kind and character of material of which the dam is constructed.

31.07(3) (3) The purpose for which the dam was theretofore operated and is operated at the time application hereunder is made, and the purpose for which it is proposed to operate and maintain the dam.

31.07(4) (4) The approximate amount of hydraulic power developed thereby.

31.07(5) (5) The name of the city, village or town in which the dam site is located and the name of the nearest existing dam above and below the dam site.

31.07(6) (6) Such additional information of any nature whatsoever as may be required by the department.

31.09(1) (1) That the department prior to the time the permit is granted shall value the dam site and all flowage rights and other property necessary for the purposes set forth in the application for the permit, whether the same or any part thereof are owned by the applicant or not.

31.09(2) (2) That the department shall audit all outlays for property and for the construction of the dam, buildings, and other structures and works constructed, maintained, and operated and used and useful under the permit.

31.09(3) (3) That the permit, if granted, shall be granted and accepted subject to the express condition that the state of Wisconsin, if it shall have the constitutional power, or any municipality, on not less than one year's notice, at any time after the expiration of 30 years after the permit becomes effective, may acquire all of the property of the grantee, used and useful under the permit, by paying therefor, the cost of reproduction in their then existing condition of all dams, works, buildings, or other structures or equipment, used and useful under the permit, as determined by the department, and by paying in addition thereto the value of the dam site and all flowage rights and other property as determined by the department prior to the time the permit was granted, as provided in sub. (1), plus the amounts paid out for additional flowage rights, if any, acquired after the valuation made by the department as provided in sub. (1); and that the applicant waives all right to any further compensation.

31.095(1)(1) Except where the stream to be improved forms a boundary line between this and another state, no permit shall be granted or transferred in accordance with this chapter until the applicant has filed with both the department and the public service commission, in addition to all other things required by law to be filed, an agreement setting forth: