Mining waste site monitoring
Wis. Stat. § 295.643
in effect(1) General. The department may require the monitoring of groundwater, surface water, leachate, or other physical features associated with a mining waste site.
(2) Physical features. The department may require the monitoring of air quality, berms, embankments, vegetation growth, and drainage control structures associated with the mining waste site. The department may require monitoring of other chemical or biological conditions, if the department determines that the monitoring is necessary to assess the impact of the mining waste site on critical aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
(3) Monitoring wells and other devices.
(a) The department shall require the installation of groundwater monitoring wells at a mining waste site. The department may require installation of leachate monitoring wells, lysimeters, moisture probes, and similar devices and associated water quality sampling and analysis programs to detect the effects of leachate on groundwater.
(b) The department shall determine the required number of groundwater monitoring wells based on the size of the mining waste site, the design of the mining waste site, the types of mining waste, and the hydrologic and geologic setting of the mining waste site. The department shall ensure that the number of wells is adequate to yield samples representative of the groundwater quality both up gradient and down gradient of the mining waste site.
(c) An operator shall construct all monitoring wells in accordance with ch. NR 141, Wis. Adm. Code, and in such a manner as to prevent, to the extent practicable, the exchange of water between aquifers.
(4) Destruction of monitoring devices.
(a) If for any reason a monitoring well or other monitoring device associated with a mining waste site is destroyed or otherwise fails to function properly, the operator shall notify the department in writing within 5 days of discovering the destruction or malfunction.
(b) The operator shall either restore the monitoring well or other device or properly abandon it and replace it with a functioning device within 60 days of notifying the department under par. (a) unless the department notifies the operator otherwise in writing within 30 days of receiving notice from the operator.
(5) Sampling other wells. The department may require an operator to sample public or private wells as part of a regular monitoring program or to determine the extent of groundwater contamination associated with a mining waste site. If the owner of a well does not authorize access for sampling, the operator shall promptly notify the department.
(6) Required monitoring and analysis.
(a) An operator shall monitor groundwater at locations identified in the waste site feasibility study and plan of operation on a quarterly basis, during March, June, September, and December, unless the department agrees to an alternate schedule. The department may base an alternate schedule on the hydrogeologic system’s characteristics, such as flow velocity and stratigraphy, and on fluctuations in quality as determined through background water quality or baseline water quality sampling and mining waste type. The operator shall analyze for the parameters listed in the approved waste site feasibility study and plan of operation.
(b) An operator shall use the methods for groundwater and surface water sample collection, preservation, and analysis that are specified in the approved mining waste site facility study and plan of operation.
(7) Water elevation measurements. The operator shall make water elevation measurements on a quarterly basis.
(8) Operations report. The department may require an operator to submit an operations report to assess the effectiveness and environmental acceptability of mining waste site operations. The operator may include in the report a discussion of confinement of the active fill area and an analysis of leachate and other monitoring, surface water control and erosion control, revegetation, settlement, volume of the mining waste site utilized, leachate quantity and quality, slope stability, equipment performance, volume and type of waste disposed of, and other relevant parameters.
(9) Reports of monitoring data. The operator shall forward to the department, within 60 days after sampling, 3 copies of the monitoring data required by this section to be collected during each quarter.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/295.643Fetched: 10/7/2026