The mission of the Lake Redstone Protection District (LRPD) is to protect and rehabilitate the water quality of Lake Redstone for its residents and the public. Consistent with our mission, the LRPD has requested the Town of LaValle Board to pass an ordinance to prohibit the operation of wake enhancement equipment on Lake Redstone. The proposed ordinance would NOT impact normal water sports such as tubing, water skiing, or wake boarding with a rope! 

When developing the 2023 Aquatic Plant Management Plan, it was noted that there is an ongoing decline in aquatic plants overall. Low water clarity is likely a major contributing factor.  The LRPD has been investigating the possible causes.  In May 2024, Wisconsin Greenfire published a report: “The Effects of Wake Boats on Lake Ecosystem Health”.  To review the report, please go to: https://wigreenfire.org/wake-boats-lakes-update-may-2024/.  The report includes the following conclusions:

•    Aquatic Plants
An enhanced wake disturbs the bottom of the lake to a depth of 20 feet or more.  This disturbance can destroy plant communities contributing to habitat loss and worsening shoreline erosion.

•    Sediment Resuspension
An enhanced wake disturbs the bottom of the lake to a depth of 20 feet or more.  The stirred-up sediment and nutrients reduces clarity, causing less sunlight at the bottom for plants.  

•    Shoreline Erosion
Enhanced wake boats can produce wakes that are 2–3 times larger than motorized non-enhanced wake boats and transfer up to 12 times more power to shorelines.

•    Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS)
The ballast tanks used by the wake boats retain 8 to 20 gallons of water.  When the ballast tank is filled, this residual water will mix in the tank.  When the ballast tank is pumped out, any AIS in the residual water from another body of water will then be introduced into our lake.    Recently, quagga mussels have been detected in Geneva Lake.  These mussels are far more resilient and more easily spread than zebra mussels, which we are far more familiar with.  We must stop the spread if of invasives into our lake.

Other Background Research
•    Lakes at Stake – https://www.lakesatstake.org/
•    Last Wilderness Alliance - https://lastwildernessalliance.org/
Both these websites have good videos showing the impact of wake surfing on the lake.

Conclusions
In addition to the negative impacts of wake enhanced boating on water quality, shoreline, fish, and plants, public comments to the DNR and other government bodies, supported by research, include negative impacts on the safety and enjoyment of lakes by fishermen, kayakers, canoers, swimmers, and people in other boats.  A healthy plant population is required to maintain a healthy lake.  A continued decline in the plant population will lead to a decline in the fish population, due to loss of habitat.
Based on the research, the LRPD board concluded that the operation of wake enhancement should be prohibited on Lake Redstone.  Banning traditional towed water activities are excluded from the request.  The board worked with Last Wilderness Alliance (LWA), which has a template ordinance that has been passed by at least a dozen towns protecting over 100 lakes:  So far there have been no legal challenges to the ordinance.  There are currently 30 organizations representing over 200 lakes working with LWA to pass this ordinance, including Lake Redstone.

Proposed Ordinance

Prohibited Equipment. No person may use or employ ballast tanks, ballast bags or fins to cause a boat to operate in a bow-high manner, or which increases or enhances a boat's wake.

Prohibited Operation. No person may operate a boat in an artificially bow-high manner having the effect of increasing the boat's wake. Such prohibited operation shall include wake enhancement by use of ballast tanks, or ballast bags, or fins, or continuous operation at transition speed (the speed below planing speed in which a boat is operating in plowing mode).

Certain Operations Excluded.  In no event shall any of the following operations be deemed a violation of this Ordinance, provided such operations do not use or employ ballast tanks, water sacks or wake enhancing fins: i) water skiing, ii) tubing, iii) wake boarding employing a tow rope; iv) brief transition operation to empty a boat of bilge water, or v) brief transition operation of a boat accelerating into a planing condition.

What’s Next
The Town of LaValle has started the process for the ordinance review.  The first step is to request DNR review.  There are many steps to be completed before a final vote on the ordinance.  A public hearing will be scheduled for residents to give their comments in support or to oppose the proposed ordinance.  There will be a thirty-day notice for the date, time and location of the public hearing.  The board meets the second Monday of the month at 7:00 PM in the LaValle Townhall with the next meeting Monday March 10, 2025.  The agenda for the meeting can be found at: https://townoflavalle.us/.