Welcome to the Wisconsin Shoreland Evaluation Tool!
The Shoreland Evaluation Tool walks you through questions about the physical aspects of your lake or river property, as well as how you manage it. Questions are set up by property zone - Upland, Transition, and In-Water areas. The Tool also includes a section for you to identify habitat restoration and runoff and erosion control projects that currently exist on your property. This Tool is intended for typical shoreland properties and may not be a great fit for unique properties and locations. There may also be nuanced exceptions to some of the answers; try your best to choose the response that most closely matches your property.
The Tool is smart. Your answers may lead you to different questions and ultimately a custom score. By registering for an account, you can save your results and come back after you have implemented best practices to improve your score. Many questions include help buttons for answers, links to additional information about shoreland management, and clarifying photos. You can click on photos to expand them for easier viewing. Your final score will help you understand the property's management context - entry, restoration, enhancement or protection - and specific projects that could improve not only the score but help your lake or river, too!
What is a typical shoreland property?
Typical shoreland property is relatively flat, doesn’t drain a large area, and has some natural area. Homes and other structures are usually within a few hundred feet of the water's edge, and there are not remarkable features like rock outcroppings or cliffs between the home and water. Furthermore, some properties may be beyond the scope of the Healthy Lakes & Rivers Best Practices the Tool suggests. These projects probably aren’t a good fit if your property is on slopes greater than 20%, drains more than 2 acres, has substantial visible erosion, or is mostly cleared and covered with hard surfaces like rooftops, driveways, and roads. Learn more about the complexity of your property and where to go for professional assistance here.
What happens to my information?
Using this Tool is entirely voluntary! You get to decide whether to register for an account or answer anonymously. Registered users also get to choose whether their information can be shared. Finally, responses will not be used for regulatory purposes, no matter how you decide to complete the Shoreland Evaluation Tool. Please read our Privacy Statement for more information.
