To reduce the pollution impact of motorized watercraft on the lake:
• When fueling the boat, take precautions not to overfill the fuel tank. If you do spill,
wipe it up with a rag, do not hose into the water.
• Boat slowly; motors stir up sediments releasing nutrients that can lead to
deterioration of water quality—a 50-horsepower motor operated full throttle can stir
the water column to a depth of 15 feet.
• Keep your motor well-tuned; use four-cycle motors.
• Inspect your boat and trailer to avoid transporting aquatic invasive species, like
Eurasian watermilfoil, Curlyleaf pondweed, or zebra mussels into the lake if you’ve
had your boat in another waterbody.
Boat wakes can cause tremendous shoreland erosion, so boat slower. In shallow areas
(less than 15 feet), motor at slow-no-wake speeds (5 mph or less) to reduce the boat
wake and the consequent wave action that can erode your shoreline and other’s around
the lake. Observe all posted “no-wake” and low-speed zones. For personal watercraft,
running at slow, no-wake speed within 150 feet of the shore is the law.
Boating slowly makes less wake, less noise, reduces pollution and is less disruptive to
wildlife and other people—plus you’ll see more and enjoy the lake longer. When running
at higher speeds, keep the motor properly trimmed to reduce noise and the boat wake.
Comments