23.25 Geographic powers and duties.

(1) The department shall do all of the following:

(a) Determine the correct and most appropriate names of the lakes, streams, places, and other geographic features in the state, and the spelling of those names.

(b) Pass upon and give names to lakes, streams, places, and other geographic features in the state for which no single generally accepted name has been in use.

(c) In cooperation with county boards and with their approval, change the names of lakes, streams, places, and other geographic features in order to eliminate, as far as possible, duplication of names within the state.

(d) Prepare and publish an official state dictionary of geographic names and publish the dictionary, either as a completed whole, or in parts, when ready.

(e) Serve as the state representative of the U.S. geographic board and cooperate with the U.S. geographic board so that there shall be no conflict between the state and federal designations of geographic features in the state.

(2) Except as provided under sub. (2m), whenever the department has given a name to any lake, stream, place or other geographic feature within the state, or determined the correct spelling of any such name, it shall be used on all maps and in all reports and other publications thereafter issued by the state or any of its political subdivisions, and it shall be the official name of the geographic feature.

(2m) Notwithstanding subs. (1) and (2), the portion of the Galena River located within the state is renamed the Fever River. That name shall be used on all maps and in all reports and other publications issued by the state or any of its political subdivisions on and after May 14, 1992, and it shall be the official name of this river.

(3) No person shall in any advertisement or publication attempt to modify local usage or name unnamed geographic features without first obtaining the approval of the department. In case of a violation of this subsection, the department may announce its disapproval and thereafter adopt an official name for such feature.

History: 1991 a. 284; 2005 a. 149.