1) Think through your project plan:

o  What is your long-term goal for your property? How does this project fit into that goal?
o  What is your objective for this project? Is there more than one way to accomplish your objective?
o  Is this project a long-lasting solution or a temporary one? Will your project need maintenance?
o  What constraints/challenges are there?
o  What is the best time of year to do your project?

2) Plan your project well in advance of when you want to begin construction. Complete permit applications generally take 30 days to process. Floodplain permits and projects requiring a Conditional Use Permit can take longer. Sometimes streams reach their summer volumes earlier than expected; in other years the snow melts later than usual. Allow for the unforeseen when developing your project schedule.

3) Contact the River Center or visit our website to determine whether your project needs a permit.

4) Consult River Center staff as you plan your project to learn about regulations that will apply and about how similar situations have been successfully addressed in other areas.

5) Come to the River Center or visit our website to get a permit application.

6) Prepare drawings of your proposed project. These do not need to be engineer-quality drawings, but should include clear labels, accurate dimensions and distances, and relevant natural features such as riverbanks, wetlands and slopes. Graph paper and examples are provided as a part of the Floodplain Permit and Multi-Agency Permit applications. Photos of the project area are helpful.

7) Make sure your application is complete.

8) Submit your permit application to the River Center. River Center staff will review the application to make sure it is complete, and then circulate it to the agencies that have jurisdiction over the project area.
Note: It remains the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all required permits have been received before beginning construction.

9) River Center staff may arrange a field visit to get more information about the project.

10) After receiving your permits, be sure to notify the River Center:

o Three days before you plan to begin construction on your project;
o If you have any questions about permit requirements;
o If your project requires modifications that are not covered in your permit;
o If you cannot complete your project by the expiration date of your permit;
o If your project is complete;
o If your completed project requires maintenance (whether or not the project permit has expired).