Permit plan · Pipe or pump stream water to a pond
Based on your answers. Cards are in the order you'll usually need them. Checked Oct 4, 2026.
DEP or your delegated county conservation district
General Permit 4 (GP-4) covers intake and outfall structures in, along, across or projecting into regulated waters. It is not for High Quality or Exceptional Value waters or for wetlands. The registration fee in the regulation is $200.
Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source: Chapter 105 General Permits; fees from 25 Pa. Code § 105.13(c)(2) This may be outdated
DEP (regional office), or your delegated county conservation district
Chapter 105 work that doesn't qualify for a waiver or a general permit needs an individual water obstruction and encroachment permit through DEP's Joint Permit Application, reviewed by DEP's regional office or a delegated conservation district. DEP recommends a pre-application meeting. In most cases the same application also covers the federal Army Corps authorization. Small dam across a stream: DEP fees from $1,750 plus disturbance fees; confirm with DEP.
What to have ready
Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Sources: Apply for a Water Obstruction and Encroachment Joint Permit (Chapter 105); Introduction to Ponds and Chapter 105 (FAQ: non-jurisdictional dam across a stream); Pennsylvania State Programmatic General Permit-7 (PASPGP-7), Part I and Part VI (dated April 27, 2026) This may be outdated
DEP; river basin commissions
If your total withdrawal from a stream or other source in a watershed averages more than 10,000 gallons per day in any 30-day period, DEP's Chapter 110 rules require you to register the withdrawal and report use every year. Depending on the amount and purpose, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission or the Delaware River Basin Commission may also need to approve it, and a withdrawal may never dry up or degrade the water source.
Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source: Water Withdrawal Registration & Reporting (25 Pa. Code Chapter 110) This may be outdated
DEP
DEP keeps a statewide list of stream segments with existing-use classifications, including High Quality (HQ) and Exceptional Value (EV) waters. Your conservation district or DEP regional office can confirm a stream's class.
Your township, borough or city (and county)
Ask about zoning, building and floodplain permits. Your county, township or municipal government may have its own rules, codes or permits for pond construction or maintenance, so check with every level of local government before you start, especially for a new pond.
Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source: Pond Agencies and Permits in Pennsylvania: Local Government (updated May 19, 2025) This may be outdated
The utility or company that owns the lake
The owner's shoreline permit is required in addition to state permits. Ask the owner for its shoreline rules and approval before you apply; its approval doesn't replace state permits, and state permits don't replace its approval.
A summary, not legal or engineering advice. The regulation, the permit documents and the product label control. Confirm with the agency before you start.
Pond & Shore PA plan · lakepennsylvania.us/plan/34j8 · Checked Oct 4, 2026