Wis. Stat. » CHAPTER 30 — NAVIGABLE WATERS, HARBORS AND NAVIGATION
Wisconsin Statutes

Wis. Stat. § 30.133 (2026)

Prohibition against conveyance of riparian rights

✓ laws through the 2025-26 session (checked Sept. 2026)
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section WI-LEGdocs.legis.wisconsin.gov JustiaChapter on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar
30.13330.133 Prohibition against conveyance of riparian rights.
30.133(1)(1) Beginning on April 9, 1994, and except as provided in s. 30.1335, no owner of riparian land that abuts a navigable water may grant by an easement or by a similar conveyance any riparian right in the land to another person, except for the right to cross the land in order to have access to the navigable water. This right to cross the land may not include the right to place any structure or material, including a boat docking facility, as defined in s. 30.1335 (1) (a), in the navigable water.
30.133(2)(2) This section does not apply to riparian land located within the boundary of any hydroelectric project licensed or exempted by the federal government, if the conveyance is authorized under any license, rule or order issued by the federal agency having jurisdiction over the project. This section does not apply to riparian land that is associated with an approval required for bulk sampling or mining that is required under subch. III of ch. 295.
30.133 HistoryHistory: 1993 a. 167; 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 180, 352; 2013 a. 1.
30.133 AnnotationSmall lock boxes were not “intended for any type of independent use” within the meaning of “unit” under s. 703.02 (15) and were not valid condominium units. Without a valid condominium unit, the transfer of riparian rights purportedly attached to the condominium lock boxes was in violation of this section. ABKA Ltd. Partnership v. DNR, 2002 WI 106, 255 Wis. 2d 486, 648 N.W.2d 854, 99-2306.
30.133 AnnotationThis section prohibits the severing by easement or by a similar conveyance of riparian rights from the riparian lands to which they are attached, preventing the reservation of riparian rights apart from riparian land by an easement, as well as the granting of riparian rights to a nonriparian. Berkos v. Shipwreck Bay Condominium Ass’n, 2008 WI App 122, 313 Wis. 2d 609, 758 N.W.2d 215, 06-2747.
30.133 NoteNOTE: The above annotations cite to the pre-2007 Wis. Act 20 version of this section. See also s. 30.1335, created by 2007 Wis. Act 20.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 12 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1995–2026 · leading case: ABKA Ltd. P'ship v. Wisconsin Dep't of Nat. Resources, 2002 WI 106, 648 N.W.2d 854.
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
ABKA Ltd. P'ship v. Wisconsin Dep't of Nat. Resources, 2002 WI 106, 648 N.W.2d 854. · cites it 152× “However, we determine that the reason ABKA violated the public trust doctrine was because it attempted to convey condominium property contrary to Wis. Stat. § 30.133 (1995-96), [2] which prohibits certain *494 transfers of riparian rights.”
Konneker v. Romano, 2010 WI 65, 785 N.W.2d 432. · cites it 38× “¶ 4 We further conclude that Wis. Stat. §§ 30.133 and 30.131 are inapplicable to this case.”
Berkos v. Shipwreck Bay Condo. Ass'n, 2008 WI App 122, 758 N.W.2d 215. · cites it 45× “C & B contends that the circuit court misread Wis. Stat. § 30.133 (2005-06), 1 which restricts the severabil *613 ity of riparian rights from riparian land, to preclude enforcement of the relevant provisions of the Declaration of Condominium.”
ABKA Ltd. P'ship v. Wisconsin Dep't of Nat. Resources, 2001 WI App 223, 635 N.W.2d 168. · cites it 3× “§ 30.133. ¶ 4. We agree with WAL that the dockominium development proposed by ABKA and the Association violates the public trust doctrine.”
Anchor Point Condo. Owner's Ass'n v. Fish Tale Props., LLC, 2008 WI App 133, 758 N.W.2d 144. · cites it 36× “This case requires that we interpret Wis. Stat. § 30.133 . Statutory interpretation is a question of law that we review de novo.”
Ellingsworth v. Swiggum, 536 N.W.2d 112 (Wis. Ct. App. 1995). · cites it 2× “3 We note that § 30.133, Stats., as amended by 1993 Wis.”
Berkos v. Shipwreck Bay Condo. Ass'n, 2008 WI App 122, 758 N.W.2d 215. · cites it 31× “§ 30.133 (2005-06), [1] which restricts the severability of riparian rights from riparian land, to preclude enforcement of the relevant provisions of the Declaration of Condominium.”
Club Unique Improvement Corp. v. Wisconsin DNR, No. 2020AP000902 (Wis. Ct. App. Sept. 8, 2021). · cites it 11× “§ 30.133, however, now prohibits the “grant by an easement or by a similar conveyance any riparian right in the land to another person, except for the right to cross the land” to reach navigable water.”
Glenn Bluemer v. Brian Young, 26 N.W.3d 783 (Wis. Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 7× “§ 30.133. It noted that “an owner of riparian land can’t grant the easement to a non-riparian owner” under the statute.”
Tina Trahan v. Albert J. Hinton, 963 N.W.2d 578 (Wis. Ct. App. 2021). · cites it 4× “§ 30.133 (2019-20), as recognized in ABKA Partnership v.”
Jack Kapinus v. Joseph Nartowicz, 978 N.W.2d 216 (Wis. Ct. App. 2022). · cites it 3× “§§ 30.133 and 30.131 in 1994, “no owner of riparian land that abuts a navigable water may grant by an easement or by a similar conveyance any riparian right in the land to another person, except for the right to cross the land in order to have access to the navigable water.”
Hollfelder Living Trust Dated December 6, 2012 v. Am. Transmission Co., 36 N.W.3d 668 (Wis. Ct. App. 2026). “§ 30.133 (an easement grants “only the right to a limited use of the land of another” and conveys “an interest in the land to use the land in accordance with the terms of the easement” (emphasis added));  Figliuzzi v.”
Wis. Stat. § 30.133(1): 5 cases
Anchor Point Condo. Owner's Ass'n v. Fish Tale Props., LLC, 2008 WI App 133, 758 N.W.2d 144. “This case requires that we interpret Wis. Stat. § 30.133 . Statutory interpretation is a question of law that we review de novo.”
Glenn Bluemer v. Brian Young, 26 N.W.3d 783 (Wis. Ct. App. 2024). “§ 30.133. It noted that “an owner of riparian land can’t grant the easement to a non-riparian owner” under the statute.”
Berkos v. Shipwreck Bay Condo. Ass'n, 2008 WI App 122, 758 N.W.2d 215. “§ 30.133 (2005-06), [1] which restricts the severability of riparian rights from riparian land, to preclude enforcement of the relevant provisions of the Declaration of Condominium.”
Tina Trahan v. Albert J. Hinton, 963 N.W.2d 578 (Wis. Ct. App. 2021). “§ 30.133 (2019-20), as recognized in ABKA Partnership v.”
Club Unique Improvement Corp. v. Wisconsin DNR, No. 2020AP000902 (Wis. Ct. App. Sept. 8, 2021). “§ 30.133, however, now prohibits the “grant by an easement or by a similar conveyance any riparian right in the land to another person, except for the right to cross the land” to reach navigable water.”
Wis. Stat. § 30.133(1)(a): 1 case
Konneker v. Romano, 2010 WI 65, 785 N.W.2d 432. “¶ 4 We further conclude that Wis. Stat. §§ 30.133 and 30.131 are inapplicable to this case.”
Wis. Stat. § 30.133(l)(a): 1 case
Konneker v. Romano, 2010 WI 65, 785 N.W.2d 432. “¶ 4 We further conclude that Wis. Stat. §§ 30.133 and 30.131 are inapplicable to this case.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.