Enhanced wakes pose an existential threat to Wisconsin lakes
Lakes at Stake Wisconsin (LASW) is a Wisconsin based organization concerned about the outsized impacts of wake sports on our inland lakes. We love our lakes and all the recreational activities they provide, including fishing, paddle sports, sailing, water skiing, and tubing.
Creating waves that are powerful enough to support surfing cause hazards for other boaters along with property and shore damage. They crowd out other water activities, including swimming, canoeing and paddle boarding, while decimating fish and waterfowl habitats. Without restrictions, Wisconsin’s tourism, property values, public safety, and the very lakes themselves are at risk.
We do not seek to ban a specific type of boat. We are, however, seeking the means to regulate devices on boats that can create large, enhanced wakes. Our concern is with the artificial enhancement of a wake through the use of ballast and other mechanical devices. We support responsible boating and believe that with reasonable restrictions, wake enhanced boating can operate in harmony with other water sports and the environment.
Our mission is to protect Wisconsin lakes from the economic, environmental, and safety threats of wake sports.
Our Position: 700/500/20 + No Hitchhikers
To keep our lakes protected from the threats of wake sports, we are advocating that, at a minimum, any watercraft designed to create an enhanced wake using a ballast and/or wave shaping technology, be required to operate:
- 700 feet or more from shorelines, docks, rafts, and any structure
- 500 feet or more from other boats and lake users
- In no less than 20 feet of water.
- In addition, before entering a body of water, any watercraft with a ballast system must be fully emptied and sanitized to prevent the transport of aquatic invasive species.
We are working at the state and local level to secure common-sense protections so everyone can enjoy our pristine Wisconsin waters. Our fight against the Water Sports Industry Association is fueled by the generous contributions of our donors and volunteers. Help us by making a contribution or becoming a Lake Champion today!
WI lakes need our protection. We need your help.
At stake: Wisconsin tourism
In 2022, Wisconsin’s tourism industry generated a record-breaking $23.7 billion in total economic impact. State tourism is responsible for 174,000 jobs, accounting for nearly one in 21 of all Wisconsin jobs (source: www.travelwisconsin.com).
Four percent of boats are wake enhanced boats. We can’t allow this small minority put our tourism at risk.
At stake: lake properties
Powerful surf wakes create an exponential impact compared to the same boats without wake enhancement. These waves cause damage to boats, docks, piers, and shorelines.
At stake: public safety
Large and dangerous waves from even a few boats disrupt all water sports, whether it’s fishing, kayaking, sailing, or even swimming. We believe that all lake users deserve a safe environment to enjoy Wisconsin lakes, and we are fighting for them.
“We’ve gotten reports from around the state the past year that are troubling. Many underwater humps and reefs that previously held beneficial vegetation are now bare. Vegetative flats are also getting destroyed. Of further concern is a potential decline in needed dissolved oxygen levels, due to sediment disruption. We need action, and now. This is why we support Lakes at Stake.”
Wisconsin receives nearly $1.5 billion annually from direct expenditures for fishing trip-related equipment and almost $2.3 billion from fishing-related economic activity. The fishing industry provides over 21,500 people with jobs. Wisconsin ranks No. 3 as a nonresident fishing destination (source: WI-DNR).
The operation of wake-enhanced boats creates waves that disrupt fishing and downward prop wash that decimates fishing habitat. We can’t afford to lose this valuable industry that is also a cherished pastime for more than 1.2 million people.
At stake: fish and aquatic plants
At stake: ecosystems
Ballast systems on wake enhanced boats are designed to preclude complete emptying. This allows the transfer of invasive species like the spiny water flea and others that kill our fish, strip vegetation, and cloud our pristine lakes.
Who We Are
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