Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes 86.17

  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Highway: includes all public ways and thoroughfares and all bridges upon the same. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Person: includes all partnerships, associations and bodies politic or corporate. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
   (1)    The general public shall have the right to use and take water from any spring, creek or running water that may be found running in or across the limits of any public highway, provided that this section shall not interfere with the tunneling or piping of water for the purpose of draining or improving lands on either side of such highway.
   (2)   Any person who shall wantonly interfere with the free use of the water from any spring or in any creek or stream running across or in any highway shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be liable to any person damaged thereby for all damages sustained.