Wausau, WI Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- Stormwater Management Administrator
- Sediment reduction target
- 80% of annual runoff load
- Inspection trigger
- Within 24 hrs of 0.5in rain
- Permit duration
- 180 days, extendable
- Penalty
- $50-$500 forfeiture per day
- Appeal body
- Board of Appeals, § 23.82
Summary
Wausau requires an erosion and sediment control permit before any land-disturbing construction, enforced by the city's Stormwater Management Administrator under Marathon County, Wisconsin. Site plans must cut sediment runoff by 80 percent and be inspected weekly until the ground is fully stabilized.
(a)Performance standards.(1)Responsible party. The responsible party shall implement an erosion and sediment control plan, developed in accordance with paragraph (c) that incorporates the requirements of this section.(2)Plan. A written plan shall be developed in accordance with paragraph (c) and implemented for each construction site.(3)Erosion and other pollutant control requirements. The plan required under subsection (2) shall include the following:(A)BMPs that, by design, achieve to the maximum extent practicable, a reduction of 80 percent of the sediment load carried in runoff, on an average annual basis, as compared with no sediment or erosion controls until the construction site has undergone final stabilization. No person shall be required to exceed an 80 percent sediment reduction to meet the requirements of this paragraph. ... (b)Permitting requirements, procedures and fees.(1)Permit required. No responsible party may commence a land disturbing construction activity subject to this ordinance without receiving prior approval of an erosion and sediment control plan for the site and a permit from the Stormwater Management Administrator.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
065 makes it unlawful to begin a land-disturbing construction activity inside the city without first securing an erosion and sediment control permit from the Stormwater Management Administrator, a City of Wausau employee designated by the Director of Public Works and Utilities. 010(a). The Administrator has 15 business days to approve or deny a complete application, or another 15 business days after any requested additional information. Approved designs must cut the average annual sediment load in runoff by 80 percent compared to an uncontrolled site; if that target cannot be met, the plan must explain why in writing and reduce sediment to the maximum extent practicable instead.
5 inches or more, log inspections weekly, and repair any siltation damage to neighboring drainage ways. Permits run 180 days, or as long as the building permit, whichever is longer, and the Administrator can grant one or more 180-day extensions. 82.
Violations & Fines
A responsible party who disturbs land without an approved erosion control plan, or fails to maintain required best management practices, faces a forfeiture of $50 to $500 per offense under § 15.56.130(i), with each day of noncompliance a separate violation. The Stormwater Management Administrator can also post a stop-work order, revoke the permit, or ask the City Attorney to seek a cease-and-desist order or injunction in court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to grade a lot in Wausau?
How much sediment reduction does the plan have to achieve?
How often must the site be inspected during construction?
What happens if a builder ignores an erosion control violation notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wausau
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Erosion Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Marathon County handle erosion control.