Indiana Lake Michigan Shoreline & Navigable Waterway Construction Permits

Indiana treats Lake Michigan as a navigable waterway, so shoreline and in-water construction falls under IC 14-29-1. Section 8 bars any person, other than a public or municipal water utility, from placing, filling, or erecting a permanent structure in, or removing water or material from, a navigable waterway without a permit from the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water. The DNR issues the permit only where the work will not unreasonably impair navigability, cause significant harm to the environment, or pose an unreasonable hazard to life or property. Section 9 lets the DNR fix the ordinary high water mark along Lake Michigan, and the IDNR Lake Michigan Coastal Program coordinates federal consistency review for coastal projects.

Placing a permanent structure, filling, or extracting water or material in Lake Michigan or another navigable waterway without a DNR permit exposes the owner to removal and restoration orders and civil penalties.