Protecting Midwest Lakes:

Lake recreation is a significant component of the Midwest lifestyle and plays a major role in the water-based tourism economy. Nevertheless, the growing popularity of wake sports, including wake surfing and wakeboarding with ballast-loaded boats, poses potential challenges to the health of our lakes and rivers. This article provides an update on this issue, which has been previously reported in the Silent Alarm column.

Wake boats generate waves that are 3 to 12 times larger than traditional ski boats, leading to shoreline erosion, resuspension of pollutants, destruction of aquatic vegetation, and long-term habitat degradation. Compounding the issue, wake boats often retain water in their ballast tanks, becoming a prime vector for the spread of invasive species such as Eurasian watermilfoil, curly-leaf pondweed, quagga mussels, and red swamp crayfish. This issue has nothing to do with traditional ski boats.

Lakes at Stake, and Green Fire, in collaboration with over 80 member organizations, continues to lead the charge in advocating for stronger protection against the damaging impacts of wake-enhanced boats. This coalition includes lake associations, riparian owners, environmental groups, anglers, paddlers, and wildlife advocates, all united by a common goal: to maintain the health and accessibility of our waters for future generations. (Full disclosure, the author is an officer in one of the member organizations.)

Growing Momentum for Wake Boat Regulation

In just the past few months, local governments across Wisconsin have made significant progress. Approximately 310 of Wisconsin’s 2,350 lakes that are eligible for wake creation are now protected by local ordinances. As a reminder, lakes under 50 acres already prohibit any wake-producing watercraft.

Public pressure continues to mount. During recent listening sessions held by State Senate President Mary Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk) and Assemblymember Rob Swearingen (R-Rhinelander), the issue of wake boat regulation overwhelmingly dominated discussions—overshadowing even state budget concerns. Felzkowski announced plans to convene a group of GOP legislators to discuss possible statewide legislation. Preliminary outlines suggest a potential 200- to 300-foot setback from shore, but with no water depth requirement—largely because the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has stated it is not equipped to enforce depth limits.

What Science and Common Sense Tell Us

The Coalition supports a minimum of 700 feet from shore and a 30-foot depth requirement. These limits are grounded in independent scientific research, which shows that enhanced wakes can disrupt the lakebed up to 26 feet deep and travel over 700 feet before dissipating to the energy levels of a typical powerboat.

Wake Boats Are Not Why Most People Visit Lakes

Contrary to industry claims, the majority of lake users visit lakes for quiet recreation fishing, swimming, kayaking, sailing, and wildlife viewing. Paddle sports is one of the fastest-growing recreational activities in the Midwest. These activities are significantly disrupted by the presence of wake boats operating within several hundred feet of shore. Another common-sense solution would be to restrict wake-enhanced boats to lakes of 1,500 acres or more large enough to provide safe distances for all user groups. If adopted, Wisconsin would become the only Midwestern state where small- and medium-sized lakes are protected from wake sport impacts, creating a distinctive draw for ecotourists and water recreationists and likely boosting tourism in the process. With the current makeup of the Wisconsin legislature, this is unlikely to happen.

Concerns About Industry Influence

Disturbingly, LRB-3518, a draft bill recently circulated in the legislature, appears to reflect significant influence from the wake sports industry. The bill references a 2022 “Marine Industry Study” published by Scientific Research Publishing, a known “pay-to-publish” outlet based in Wuhan, China—raising serious concerns about the credibility and independence of its findings. As written, LRB-3518 fails to protect private property, public safety, and the ecological integrity of our lakes. We urge lawmakers to engage in thoughtful dialogue and include robust, evidence-based provisions in any wake sport regulation legislation.

Minnesota and Michigan

The Minnesota Coalition of Lake Associations (MNCOLA) rank enhanced wake activities as one of the most pressing issues and have been working towards some form of regulation. According to MNCOLA, statewide regulation isn’t likely in the near term but obtaining local regulations on water activities is possible. As in Wisconsin. Several Minnesota Lake Associations and communities have already passed wake sport regulations.

In Michigan, a bill (HB 5532) is being considered that would regulate wake boats. It would require wake boats to be at least 500 feet from the shoreline and in water depths of at least 20 feet when operating in “wake sport mode”. This bill aims to address concerns about shoreline erosion, damage to structures, and impacts on lake ecosystems.

It is crucial to evaluate the impacts of wake boat sports on our lakes. It is imperative to urge state legislators to implement reasonable and enforceable protections to ensure the long-term preservation of our lakes. The necessity for significant reform is immediate.

Lakes at Stake is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to addressing the impacts of wake sports on inland lakes. They assert that everyone has the right to enjoy our lakes, and a small minority should not compromise the majority of lake users’ rights. For more information, visit www.lakesatstake.org.

Wisconsin’s Green Fire’s mission is to advance science-informed analysis and policy solutions to address Wisconsin’s most pressing conservation challenges. For further details, visit wigreenfire.org.