Sauk County, WI Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)

Sec. 51.09 pulls in a land use permit requirement for grading, excavation or fill that disturbs 4,000 square feet or more, for excavating or filling 400 cubic yards or more, for road, bridge or highway work of the same size, for utility pipe runs of 300 feet or more, for subdivision and condominium plats under Chapter 22, and for any smaller disturbance the Department flags as high risk, including land with 12 percent slopes or greater. Sec. 51.10 exempts row-crop farming, sod and tree nurseries, one- and two-family homes disturbing under an acre, work within 300 feet of navigable water already covered by the Chapter 8 shoreland rules, and state or federally exempted highway projects.

Sec. 51.11 requires the permit applicant to submit a signed erosion control plan showing lot lines, existing natural features, drainage patterns, stockpile locations and a revegetation plan before the Zoning Administrator issues the permit. Sec. 51.12 sets the performance floor: practices must follow DNR and Wisconsin Construction Site Erosion Control Field Guide standards, prevent gully and bank erosion, and cap soil loss on exposed areas at under five tons per acre annually from sheet or rill erosion. Sec. 51.13 requires BMPs installed before land disturbance begins and maintained until final stabilization, defined as 70 percent perennial vegetative cover, with temporary stabilization required whenever work pauses for more than 14 days. Violators face the same $200.00 to $1,000.00 per-offense, per-day fine set out in Sec. 51.23 for the whole chapter.