Discusses the strengths and weaknesses of zoning as a tool to protect groundwater. Covers wellhead protection ordinances, zoning options for high nitrogen uses, and minimum lot sizes for homes on septic systems.
Zoning as a Tool to Protect Groundwater – Audio Only – (2024)
Zoning as a Tool to Protect Groundwater PowerPoint (PDF) – (2024)
Potential Land Use Policies for Counties to Improve Nitrate Levels in Drinking Water
DNR Wellhead Protection Ordinance
Chippewa County Wellhead Protection Ordinance (Article III)
Portage County Wellhead Protection Ordinance (Section 7.2)
Two papers about the same study recommending two-acre lot sizes in unsewered areas in sandy soils:
Wisconsin Well Water Quality Viewer – Private well data for Wisconsin includes nitrate and pesticide concentrations.
Protecting Wisconsin’s Groundwater through Comprehensive Planning
Note: this website was created in 2007, so data is old. For groundwater quality maps, use the Wisconsin Well Water Quality Viewer.
Well Water for Rural Residential Subdivisions
Nitrate in Wisconsin’s Groundwater, 2023