58:4-1 Reservoir, dam restrictions.

58:4-1. a. No municipality, corporation or person shall, without the consent of the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, hereafter in this chapter designated as the commissioner, build any reservoir or construct any dam, or repair, alter or improve existing dams on any river or stream in this State or between this State and any other state which will raise the waters of the river or stream more than five feet above its usual mean low-water height.

No municipality, corporation or person shall, without the consent of the commissioner, build any reservoir or construct any dam, or repair, alter or improve existing dams in the pinelands area, as designated by subsection a. of section 10 of P.L.1979, c.111 (C.13:18A-11), which will raise the waters of any river or stream more than eight feet above the surface of the ground where the drainage area above the dam or reservoir is more than one square mile in extent and where the water surface created by the dam or reservoir is more than 100 acres in extent.

The commissioner may investigate and take appropriate action regarding any dam or reservoir about which the commissioner has a security or safety concern.

With respect to dams and reservoirs located on lands utilized for agricultural or horticultural purposes within the pinelands area, the commissioner's actions shall be undertaken after consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture.

b. The commissioner shall not require a permit for the repair of any dam used for agricultural purposes within a special agricultural production area designated pursuant to N.J.A.C.7:50-5.14 in the pinelands area.

Amended 1981, c.249, s.3; 1985, c.33; 1995, c.402, s.1; 2001, c.82, s.1.