Big Wakes are Hurting the Lake

What was once the worry of only a few who realized how the new BIG WAKE technology ‘might’ be bad for the lake has increasingly become common knowledge. There is now a full-blown realization by many of what has already happened, and what the science shows will happen to our beautiful lake if we don’t curb wake enhancement now.

If you attended Protect Lake Beulah’s comprehensive forum on March 29th, you heard A LOT about what has already happening to the lake, but if you couldn’t make it, this article contains a Cliff Notes review of some highlights along with some other things to think about.

Some folks are advocating for a ‘wait and see” strategy, but that perspective assumes the damage already done isn’t permanent. Unfortunately, it is irreversible, and your PLB Board majority has chosen to go full speed ahead with an educational initiative aimed at helping all Lake Beulah stakeholders realize the seriousness of wake enhancement.

Over the last few years, we’ve used LAKE VIEWS to bring you several articles with solid information on the topic. (See protectlakebeulah.org/newsletters) You were able to read all about things like damage to shorelines and personal property, bottom disturbances that release dangerous/harmful chemicals, and destruction of weed beds and fish habitat. Those articles spurred many of you to share your personal stories of how your enjoyment of the lake has been diminished or even totally spoiled by giant waves.

There are few places in the lake where wake enhancement ‘might’ not cause too much damage. It would be impossible for a boat captain to remain in these areas.

The bottom line (based on facts drawn from a lot of scientific research) is Lake Beulah is entirely unsuitable for enhanced wake activities. Its narrow shores and uneven lake bottom are fragile, natural features that cannot withstand what the new technology brings.

If one is inclined to listen to boating industry representatives, you might be led to believe that education of boat captains can alleviate any potential for damage. They have proposed that a 200’ from shore and 20’ depth is adequate for wake enhanced boating. (That option is unfortunately one on the April 15th East Troy Town Board advisory referendum.) Industry reps also suggest that boats should refrain from running in the same place again and again (That sounds a lot like the industry recognizes there is damage being done).

It isn’t too difficult to imagine that there is some financial interest driving these recommendations. The ‘wake boats’ that are designed specifically to make huge waves are very pricey, which leads to large profits. Recently, a 24’, 16 passenger wake boat had a list price of $530,000. That boat can make a wake 4 1/2 feet in height. There’s no stopping technology and the boats and their waves will only get bigger and bigger.

The industry proposal of 200 feet from shore and a depth of 20 feet sounds so simple, but not only is it inaccurate, it is also undoable and unenforceable. First, there is solid, peer-reviewed evidence that artificially produced giant waves need as much as three times the suggested 200’ from shore before being reduced to an ‘ordinary’ boat wave. In the same way, a 20’ depth is not nearly enough. It should be 30’; and given Lake Beulah’s irregular bottom with numerous elevated areas (it isn’t like a flat-bottomed bathtub), there just aren’t very many spots on the lake that qualify.

Are minimum-from-shore distances and water depth requirements enforceable? Even the most experienced Lake Beulah boater would have trouble with such regulations. It is extremely difficult to judge distance from the shoreline, or changes in elevation of the lake bottom. How would the police enforce depth and distance from shore violations?

Then, let’s assume every captain of a wake boat moored at Lake Beulah was responsible and somehow managed to navigate within restricted areas. (Hats off to wake boaters on the lake who’ve formed a group called ‘Responsible Beulah Boaters.’ We know they care about the lake.) There are still increasing numbers of itinerant boats capable of producing enhanced wakes that launch almost every day.

Given all this (and more), those who’ve made the effort (and taken the time) have come to understand how Lake Beulah as a clean lake, will be eventually ruined. And the thing is, since we’re told by experts that the change will occur suddenly, we’ll never know until it’s already too late. The analogy to tipping in a canoe is apropos. Once the lake begins to ‘tip’, there’s no going back.

So please take a moment here to realize what’s at stake, the very life of Lake Beulah. We’re so fortunate to be able to live in a time where technology in so many areas is advancing quickly. Then sometimes, like with the incredible wake-enhancement boat designs of today, we can’t immediately recognize the unintended consequences of our new technologies. Did anyone know when they bought a cool, new boat capable of producing ocean-size waves that it would damage the very lake they love? …But now we DO know what will happen, and unless we act soon, our beloved lake will be forever changed for the worse.

This isn’t the first time our Protect Lake Beulah has had to stand up for the lake. That’s been going on since 1894 when PLB first ensured protection of the dam. Since then, there have been many other threats, including not too long ago, once again protecting the dam to ensure lake levels will be maintained. And before that, PLB was a key player in establishing a monitoring system for an East Troy well that draws water from the same aquifer that supplies water to the lake. PLB has also been heavily involved in invasive species control, habitat protection, various boating issues and more.

This wake enhancement situation is as serious as any of those in the past because the entire ecosystem of the lake is at stake. Rest assured PLB is not standing still and waiting for something bad to happen. What happens on our lake because of this issue will influence everything going forward, from the lake ecology to property values (people pay a premium for property on a ‘clean lake’).

To paraphrase a memorable phrase first used by American Patriot Thomas Paine during the American Revolution, these surely are times that try our souls. We didn’t ask to be born into this time, but as members of PLB, we recognize that this is our time to protect our beloved Lake Beulah. We will do what we know in our hearts is right. You can count on PLB to live up to its name. Protect Lake Beulah…

If you care about protecting the lake for generations to come, join our effort to raise awareness and advocate for responsible boating practices. Click here to sign up to stay informed and get involved!