Wisconsin Communities Speak Out Against Hazardous Wakes
The Presque Isle Town Board has refused to take up Hazardous Wake Ordinance 2020-04 as proposed by the Presque Isle Ordinance Committee. A Petition for Direct Legislation was signed by 150 Presque Isle registered voters requiring the Town Board to either act on the Ordinance as proposed or it must be scheduled for a binding vote of the electors in Spring 2022. But Hazardous Wake issues are not unique to Presque Isle. Concerns are being raised in many other communities throughout the state.
Dear Northwoods Neighbors;
Wake Surfing. Ten years ago who would have thought that it would be possible to hang ten or pull an Ollie on a surfboard behind a relatively small boat on an inland lake in northern Wisconsin? Being an avid water skier my entire life, I was intrigued. I gave it a try and must admit it is fun. That was five years ago. In the years since, not only have the number of boats multiplied exponentially, the size of the boats and the waves they make are getting bigger as well. This fact has caused a lot of stress on non-surfers, most notably shoreline erosion, damage to docks and moored boats as well as making life miserable for anyone in a small boat just wanting to spend some time on the water fishing and enjoying the tranquility of the north woods. Oh did I mention the optional 1000 watt stereo with cannon speakers pointing back so the surfer can shred to his favorite tunes! As sound carries on water, it also means you and your friends and anyone else within a ¼ mile behind that boat gets a free concert!
As I watched these surfers shred across our little lake in the town of Woodruff, it occurred to me that something more destructive is going on. They are destroying the lake’s ecosystem - destroying fish habitat and releasing pollutants such as Mercury and Phosphorous that have been trapped in the lake bottom for decades. What makes these boats different from all others is that they move slowly, plowing through the water. They are plowing along at 8 miles per hour with a prop angle at 35 to 40 degrees. Plowing is the term used by the boating industry to describe their motion. Ironically it is also what they do to the bottom of the lake. You have a 350 - 500 hp engine turning a 15” cutting blade pointing downward, 4 feet below the lake surface. Think of this as the unholy matrimony of the mother of all weed whackers and a monster pressure washer pointing at the bottom of the lake. The prop cuts the weeds while simultaneously blasting the bottom of the lake uprooting plants, stirring up muck and sand and releasing pollutants that have been entombed for decades.
I shared my concerns with our state senators as well as the DNR. My take away is that they are aware of concerns in Wisconsin’s lake communities but are also getting push back from the boat manufacturers not to implement restrictive state wide regulations. Imagine that?
I’m presenting this to you out of concern for the lake I have come to love. I hope you find the information valuable and will consider it when deciding if or where to wake surf. I personally feel that everyone has a right to enjoy our lakes and hesitate to take away the way that some people choose to enjoy it. Yet, at the same time we need to find a way to protect our lakes and make sure that one type of activity doesn’t destroy or pollute the eco system of the lakes we love.
John Johnston
Mid Lake, Woodruff, Wis
These other communities in Wisconsin have already acted to protect their lakes and prohibit these hazardous conditions:
City of Mequon Town of Bass Lake Town of Hunter
City of Thiensville Town of Round Lake Town of Hayward
Town of Rockland