This substitute amendment includes monitoring as one of the examples of
potential conditions that may be included in such an approval. This substitute
amendment also provides that, in any high capacity well approval, DNR may require
the well owner to implement a monitoring program to evaluate the impacts of the
well, and may modify the approval based on the results of that monitoring program.
Current law provides that a high capacity well approval, or application for
approval, cannot be challenged based on DNR's lack of consideration of the
cumulative impacts of the proposed well and existing wells. This substitute
amendment requires DNR, when considering whether a high capacity well may have
a significant adverse environmental impact on waters of the state, to consider the
cumulative impacts of that high capacity well together with existing withdrawals.
Under current law, a high capacity well approval generally remains in effect
indefinitely, unless modified or rescinded by DNR. This substitute amendment
provides that an approval issued after the effective date of the substitute amendment
may not remain in effect for more than ten years. An approval issued prior to the
effective date of the substitute amendment remains in effect for a longer period,
depending on how long before the effective date of the substitute amendment it was
issued.
High capacity wells in groundwater management areas
Under this substitute amendment, after DNR develops a groundwater
management plan for a groundwater management area, DNR may not approve a
high capacity well in the groundwater management area unless the high capacity
well is consistent with the groundwater management plan.
This substitute amendment also requires DNR, after it develops a groundwater
management plan, to review approvals for high capacity wells in the groundwater
management area that were issued before the plan went into effect. The substitute
amendment authorizes DNR to modify such approvals to ensure that they are
consistent with the groundwater management plan.

Fees for certain withdrawals
Current law imposes an annual fee of $125 on a person whose water supply
system has the capacity to withdraw an average of 100,000 gallons per day in any
30-day period from the waters of the state. This substitute amendment increases
that annual fee to $250.
DNR has also established, by rule, water use fees for users who withdraw more
than 50,000,000 gallons per year from the Great Lakes basin. This substitute
amendment directs DNR to establish such fees for users who withdraw more than
50,000,000 gallons per year from the waters of the state.
Other provisions
This substitute amendment also requires DNR to include water conservation
requirements in the approvals, required under current law, for certain surface water
withdrawals, if the withdrawal is in a groundwater management area, and requires
those conservation requirements to be consistent with the groundwater
management plan for the groundwater management area.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB239-SSA3,1 1Section 1. 20.370 (6) (eg) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB239-SSA3,5,52 20.370 (6) (eg) Groundwater mitigation and local assistance. All moneys
3received under s. 281.34 not appropriated under sub. (4) (cg) or (ch) for mitigation
4under s. 281.34 (8) (d) and (9) (d) and funding to local governmental units under s.
5281.34 (9) (b)
.
SB239-SSA3,2 6Section 2. 160.50 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 160.50 (2) (a).
SB239-SSA3,3 7Section 3. 160.50 (2) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
SB239-SSA3,5,118 160.50 (2) (b) The groundwater coordinating council shall create a
9subcommittee on groundwater area review. The subcommittee shall be composed of
10individuals with technical expertise in the area of groundwater science and
11management.
SB239-SSA3,4 12Section 4. 281.34 (1) (er) of the statutes is created to read:
SB239-SSA3,6,413 281.34 (1) (er) "Significant adverse environmental impact" means alteration
14of groundwater levels, groundwater discharge, surface water levels, surface water

1discharge, groundwater temperature, surface water temperature, groundwater
2chemistry, surface water chemistry, or other factors to the extent that those
3alterations cause significant degradation of environmental quality, including
4biological and ecological aspects of the affected water resource.
SB239-SSA3,5 5Section 5. 281.34 (1) (f) of the statutes is repealed.
SB239-SSA3,6 6Section 6. 281.34 (2s) of the statutes is created to read:
SB239-SSA3,6,107 281.34 (2s) Public notice. The department shall require an applicant for
8approval of a high capacity well to provide notice of the application to interested
9members of the public by publication as a class 1 notice under ch. 985. In the notice,
10the applicant shall identify the owner and location of the high capacity well.
SB239-SSA3,7 11Section 7. 281.34 (4) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB239-SSA3,6,1312 281.34 (4) (a) 3. A high capacity well that may have a significant adverse
13environmental impact on a spring waters of the state.
SB239-SSA3,8 14Section 8. 281.34 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB239-SSA3,6,2315 281.34 (5) (a) Public water supply. If the department determines that a
16proposed high capacity well may impair the water supply of a public utility engaged
17in furnishing water to or for the public, the department may not approve the high
18capacity well unless it is able to include and includes conditions in the approval
19conditions to ensure that the water supply of the public utility will not be impaired,
20which may include conditions as to location, depth, pumping capacity, rate of flow,
21monitoring, and ultimate use, that will ensure that the water supply of the public
22utility will not be impaired
and any other condition the department determines is
23necessary
.
SB239-SSA3,9 24Section 9. 281.34 (5) (b) 1. and 2. of the statutes are amended to read:
SB239-SSA3,7,10
1281.34 (5) (b) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., if the department determines,
2under the environmental review process in sub. (4), that an environmental impact
3report under s. 23.11 (5) must be prepared for a proposed high capacity well located
4in a groundwater protection area, the department may not approve the high capacity
5well unless it is able to include and includes conditions in the approval conditions to
6ensure that the high capacity well does not cause significant adverse environmental
7impact
, which may include conditions as to location, depth, pumping capacity, rate
8of flow, monitoring, and ultimate use, that ensure that the high capacity well does
9not cause significant environmental impact
and any other condition the department
10determines is necessary
.
SB239-SSA3,7,2011 2. Subdivision 1. does not apply to a proposed high capacity well that is located
12in a groundwater protection area and that is a water supply for a public utility
13engaged in supplying water to or for the public, if the department determines that
14there is no other reasonable alternative location for a well and is able to include and
15includes conditions in the approval conditions to ensure that the environmental
16impact of the well is balanced by the public benefit of the well related to public health
17and safety
, which may include conditions as to location, depth, pumping capacity,
18rate of flow, monitoring, and ultimate use, that ensure that the environmental
19impact of the well is balanced by the public benefit of the well related to public health
20and safety
and any other condition the department determines is necessary.
SB239-SSA3,10 21Section 10. 281.34 (5) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB239-SSA3,8,622 281.34 (5) (c) High water loss. If the department determines, under the
23environmental review process in sub. (4), that an environmental impact report under
24s. 23.11 (5) must be prepared for a proposed high capacity well with a water loss of
25more than 95 percent of the amount of water withdrawn, the department may not

1approve the high capacity well unless it is able to include and includes conditions in
2the approval conditions to ensure that the high capacity well does not cause
3significant adverse environmental impact
, which may include conditions as to
4location, depth, pumping capacity, rate of flow, monitoring, and ultimate use, that
5ensure that the high capacity well does not cause significant environmental impact

6and any other condition the department determines is necessary.
SB239-SSA3,11 7Section 11. 281.34 (5) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB239-SSA3,8,188 281.34 (5) (d) Impact on a spring waters of the state. 1. Except as provided in
9subd. 2., if the department determines, under the environmental review process in
10sub. (4), that an environmental impact report under s. 23.11 (5) must be prepared for
11a proposed high capacity well that may have a significant adverse environmental
12impact on a spring waters of the state, the department may not approve the high
13capacity well unless it is able to include and includes conditions in the approval
14conditions to ensure that the high capacity well does not cause significant adverse
15environmental impact
, which may include conditions as to location, depth, pumping
16capacity, rate of flow, monitoring, and ultimate use, that ensure that the high
17capacity well does not cause significant environmental impact
and any other
18condition the department determines is necessary
.
SB239-SSA3,9,419 2. Subdivision 1. does not apply to a proposed high capacity well that may have
20a significant adverse environmental impact on a spring waters of the state and that
21is a water supply for a public utility engaged in supplying water to or for the public,
22if the department determines that there is no other reasonable alternative location
23for a well and is able to include and includes conditions in the approval conditions
24to ensure that the environmental impact of the well is balanced by the public benefit
25of the well related to public health and safety
, which may include conditions as to

1location, depth, pumping capacity, rate of flow, monitoring, and ultimate use, that
2ensure that the environmental impact of the well is balanced by the public benefit
3of the well related to public health and safety
and any other condition the department
4determines is necessary
.
SB239-SSA3,12 5Section 12. 281.34 (5) (ds) of the statutes is created to read:
SB239-SSA3,9,96 281.34 (5) (ds) Groundwater management plan. If a high capacity well is in a
7groundwater management area designated under s. 281.341 (2) with a groundwater
8management plan under s. 281.341 (3) in effect, the department may not approve the
9high capacity well unless it is consistent with that plan.
SB239-SSA3,13 10Section 13. 281.34 (5) (e) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
SB239-SSA3,9,1511 281.34 (5) (e) 3. The department may include in the approval for a high capacity
12well conditions requiring the owner to implement a monitoring program to evaluate
13environmental impacts caused by operation of the high capacity well, and to submit
14the results of the monitoring program to the department. The department may
15modify the approval based on the results of the monitoring program.
SB239-SSA3,14 16Section 14. 281.34 (5m) of the statutes is renumbered 281.34 (5m) (a) and
17amended to read:
SB239-SSA3,9,2318 281.34 (5m) (a) No person may challenge an approval, or an application for
19approval, of a
When determining whether a high capacity well based on the lack of
20consideration of
or proposed high capacity well may have a significant adverse
21environmental impact on the waters of the state, the department shall consider
the
22cumulative environmental impacts of that high capacity well together with existing
23wells withdrawals.
SB239-SSA3,15 24Section 15. 281.34 (7) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB239-SSA3,10,2
1281.34 (7) (title) Modifying and rescinding Duration, modification, and
2rescission of
approvals for high capacity wells.
SB239-SSA3,16 3Section 16. 281.34 (7) of the statutes is renumbered 281.34 (7) (b) (intro.) and
4amended to read:
SB239-SSA3,10,115 281.34 (7) (b) (intro.) The An approval of a high capacity well issued under this
6section or under s. 281.17 (1), 2001 stats. prior to the effective date of this paragraph
7.... [LRB inserts date]
, remains in effect for the following periods unless the
8department modifies or rescinds the approval under par. (c) 3. or sub. (5) (e) 3., or
9because the high capacity well or the use of the high capacity well is not in
10conformance with standards or conditions applicable to the approval of the high
11capacity well.:
SB239-SSA3,17 12Section 17. 281.34 (7) (a) of the statutes is created to read:
SB239-SSA3,10,1813 281.34 (7) (a) An approval of a high capacity well issued under this section on
14or after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], may not remain
15in effect for more than 10 years and may be modified or rescinded under par. (c) 3.
16or sub. (5) (e) 3., or because the high capacity well or the use of the high capacity well
17is not in conformance with standards or conditions applicable to the approval of the
18high capacity well.
SB239-SSA3,18 19Section 18. 281.34 (7) (b) 1. to 5. of the statutes are created to read:
SB239-SSA3,10,2120 281.34 (7) (b) 1. For an approval of a high capacity well issued before January
211, 1980, 8 years from the effective date of this subdivision .... [LRB inserts date].
SB239-SSA3,10,2422 2. For an approval of a high capacity well issued on or after January 1, 1980,
23and before January 1, 1990, 10 years from the effective date of this subdivision ....
24[LRB inserts date].
SB239-SSA3,11,3
13. For an approval of a high capacity well issued on or after January 1, 1990,
2and before January 1, 2000, 12 years from the effective date of this subdivision ....
3[LRB inserts date].
SB239-SSA3,11,64 4. For an approval of a high capacity well issued on or after January 1, 2000,
5and before January 1, 2010, 14 years from the effective date of this subdivision ....
6[LRB inserts date].
SB239-SSA3,11,97 5. For an approval of a high capacity well issued on or after January 1, 2010,
8and before the effective date of this subdivision .... [LRB inserts date], 16 years from
9the effective date of this subdivision .... [LRB inserts date].
SB239-SSA3,19 10Section 19. 281.34 (7) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
SB239-SSA3,11,1511 281.34 (7) (c) 1. After a groundwater management plan under s. 281.341 (3)
12takes effect for a groundwater management area designated under s. 281.341 (2), the
13department shall review, for consistency with the ground water management plan,
14approvals for high capacity wells in the groundwater management area that were
15issued under this section or under s. 281.17 (1), 2001 stats. before the plan took effect.
SB239-SSA3,11,2016 2. After conducting the review under subd. 1. for a groundwater management
17area designated under s. 281.341 (2), the department may periodically review, for
18consistency with the ground water management plan, the approvals under this
19section or under s. 281.17 (1), 2001 stats., for high capacity wells in the groundwater
20management area.
SB239-SSA3,11,2521 3. The department may modify the approval under this section or under s.
22281.17 (1), 2001 stats., of a high capacity well, after a review under subd. 1. or 2., as
23necessary to ensure that the high capacity well is consistent with the groundwater
24management plan for the groundwater management area in which the high capacity
25well is located.
SB239-SSA3,20
1Section 20. 281.34 (9) of the statutes is repealed.
SB239-SSA3,21 2Section 21. 281.341 of the statutes is created to read:
SB239-SSA3,12,4 3281.341 Groundwater management areas. (1) Definitions. In this
4section:
SB239-SSA3,12,55 (a) "Aquitard" means a geologic formation having low permeability.
SB239-SSA3,12,96 (b) "Baseflow" means the sustained flow of a stream, principally by
7groundwater discharge, in the absence of direct runoff, calculated as the 7-day low
8flow that occurs on an average of once in every 10 years, or as determined by the
9department using other statistical measures.
SB239-SSA3,12,1110 (bm) "Chief executive" means the county executive or, if a county does not have
11a county executive, the chairperson of the county board of supervisors.
SB239-SSA3,12,1312 (c) "Confined aquifer" means a water bearing geologic formation that is
13bounded on its upper surface by an aquitard.
SB239-SSA3,12,1414 (d) "Council" means the groundwater coordinating council.
SB239-SSA3,12,1615 (e) "Council subcommittee" means the groundwater area review subcommittee
16of the groundwater coordinating council, as created under s. 160.50 (2) (b).
SB239-SSA3,12,1717 (em) "High capacity well" has the meaning given in s. 281.34 (1) (b).
SB239-SSA3,12,1818 (f) "Potentiometric surface" has the meaning given in s. 281.34 (1) (e).
SB239-SSA3,12,2119 (g) "Sustainable hydrologic conditions" means the balance between
20groundwater consumption and groundwater replenishment so that there are no
21significant adverse environmental impacts to surface water or groundwater.
SB239-SSA3,12,2422 (h) "Target date" means a date by which it is reasonable to expect that the
23groundwater management area will no longer qualify for designation as a
24groundwater management area.
SB239-SSA3,13,2
1(i) "Unconfined aquifer" means a water bearing geologic formation that is not
2bounded on its upper surface by an aquitard.
SB239-SSA3,13,6 3(2) Groundwater management area designation. (a) The department may, by
4rule, designate an area as a groundwater management area if the council forwards
5a conclusion to the department under par. (e) that the area qualifies for designation
6as a groundwater management area.
SB239-SSA3,13,87 (b) An area with a confined aquifer qualifies for designation as a groundwater
8management area if any of the following applies:
SB239-SSA3,13,119 1. The groundwater potentiometric surface of the confined aquifer has been
10reduced 150 feet or more from the level at which the potentiometric surface would
11be if no groundwater had been pumped from the area.
SB239-SSA3,13,1412 2. The groundwater potentiometric surface of the confined aquifer has been
13reduced to less than 20 feet above the top of the aquitard bounding the upper surface
14of the confined aquifer.
SB239-SSA3,13,1615 3. The static water level in the majority of the wells that pump water from the
16confined aquifer is below the bottom of the confined aquifer's bounding aquitard.
SB239-SSA3,13,1817 4. The groundwater potentiometric surface of the confined aquifer is declining
18at a rate exceeding 5 feet per year averaged over a 10-year period.
SB239-SSA3,13,1919 5. The department has initiated an action under s. 30.03 (4) relating to the area.
SB239-SSA3,13,2120 (c) An area with an unconfined aquifer qualifies for designation as a
21groundwater management area if any of the following applies:
SB239-SSA3,13,2522 1. The baseflow of the streams in the area has declined more than 10 percent
23from what the baseflow of the streams would be if no groundwater had been pumped
24from the area and that decline has resulted in significant adverse environmental
25impact, as defined in s. 281.34 (1) (er).
SB239-SSA3,14,2
12. The water table elevation of the unconfined aquifer is declining at a rate
2exceeding 1 foot per year averaged over a 10-year period.
SB239-SSA3,14,53 3. The withdrawal of groundwater in the area has caused a decline in the water
4table of one foot or more beneath, or adjacent to, lakes or wetlands in the area, as
5determined by use of groundwater flow modeling.
SB239-SSA3,14,66 4. The department has initiated as action under s. 30.03 (4) relating to the area.
SB239-SSA3,14,207 (d) The council subcommittee shall meet regularly to examine areas that may
8qualify for designation as groundwater management areas under this subsection
9and shall forward its conclusions to the council. Any person may file a petition with
10the department requesting consideration of an area for designation as a
11groundwater management area, which the department shall promptly forward to
12the council subcommittee, and which the council subcommittee shall examine. The
13council subcommittee's conclusions shall include a delineation of the geographic
14boundaries of the areas examined. If the council subcommittee concludes that an
15area qualifies for designation as a groundwater management area under this
16subsection, the council subcommittee's conclusion shall include a proposed target
17date and sustainable hydrologic conditions for the area. Before examining any other
18area, the council subcommittee shall examine the following areas to determine
19whether they qualify for designation as groundwater management areas under this
20subsection and shall forward the council subcommittee's conclusion to the council:
SB239-SSA3,14,2221 1. The 2 groundwater management areas designated under s. 281.34 (9), 2013
22stats.
SB239-SSA3,14,2323 2. The area known as the central sands region.
SB239-SSA3,15,524 (e) If the council subcommittee forwards a conclusion to the council under par.
25(d) that an area qualifies as a groundwater management area and if the council

1concurs with that conclusion, the council shall recommend that the department
2designate the area as a groundwater management area. The council's
3recommendation under this paragraph shall include a delineation of the geographic
4boundaries of, and a proposed target date and sustainable hydrologic conditions for,
5the proposed groundwater management area.
SB239-SSA3,15,96 (f) If the department promulgates a rule designating an area as a groundwater
7management area as authorized under par. (a), the department shall, not later than
890 days after the rule is promulgated, establish a target date and sustainable
9hydrologic conditions for the area.
SB239-SSA3,15,1410 (g) 1. After the target date established under par. (f) for an area, the council
11subcommittee shall consider whether the area still qualifies as a groundwater
12management area under this subsection. If the council subcommittee concludes that
13the area no longer qualifies as a groundwater management area, it shall forward that
14conclusion to the council.
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