Wisconsin DNR staff will be looking over results of a Minnesota study looking at the impacts of wake boats.
The study found significant disturbance to lake bottoms.
Opponents of lake boats also express concerns about disturbance to shorelines, and the potential for wake boats to spread invasive species through their ballast tanks.
Wake boats were a topic during public comments at a recent Natural Resources Board meeting, with Richard Phillips of Presque Isle among those calling for action.
“Please consider giving me something to say the next time someone challenges me by saying if the problem were really significant, the DNR would say something. I am profoundly impressed by the sixty or so towns that have shown the care and the backbone to enact ordinances to protect their lakes. But surely, they should expect some help, some inspiration, and some guidance from the DNR,” said Phillips.
Jeff Meeseman of Presque Isle says wake boats are doing permanent damage.
“When you get aquatic invasive species in your lake, for example, you get a sp- a spiny water flea or a quagga mussel or a zebra mussel, there's no remediation for that right now. So when you talk about damage, some of this damage is permanent and can't be reversed. Uh, other damage, like to shorelines, I mean, the people are constantly rebuilding their shorelines to protect their boats, so permanent damage is happening right now and we have to protect our lakes or we're gonna lose them,” said Meeseman.
DNR Secretary Karen Hyun says staff will be looking at the Minnesota study.
“I've instructed our team to do a thorough review of the results of that study so that we can evaluate what our options are, especially in terms of working with the legislature on additional authority and resources that we would need to implement any sort of recommendations that would come out of a report like this or a study like this,” said Hyun.
Board Chair Bill Smith asked that the matter come back before the Natural Resources Board as an informational item at some time in the future, after staff has had a chance to look over the study findings.
