Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District

Lakeshore property owners can control a modest area of aquatic plants for swimming or boat docking without a permit from the DNR. Cutting, pulling, raking, or harvesting submersed vegetation, like pondweeds, watermilfoil, or coontail, in an area for recreation is allowed under the following conditions:

• The cleared area may not exceed 2,500 square feet in size.
• The cleared area may not extend more than 50 feet along your shore, or more than one-half the frontage width, whichever is less.
• If the cleared area does not reach open water, a 15-foot wide channel to open water may be added.
• The cut or pulled vegetation must be removed from the water.

If floating leaf vegetation, like white or yellow water-lilies interfere with boat access a lake shore property owner can mechanically maintain (cutting or pulling) a channel no more than 15 feet wide, extending to open water without a permit, under the following conditions:

• The cleared channel must remain in the same place from year to year.
• And the vegetation that is cut or pulled must be removed from the water.