No-wake order eased for Lake Mendota

The Capital Times  —  7/03/2008 8:03 am

Gentlemen, start your (boat) engines.

Almost a month after slow, no-wake orders were issued in Dane County for the entire surfaces of the four big lakes, the order is being relaxed on Lake Mendota, just in time for the Fourth of July weekend.

Boaters on Lake Mendota will have to follow slow, no-wake rules within 500 feet of shore instead of on the entire lake, as county officials took the tight restriction off because the lake level has fallen about a foot since the torrential rains early in June.

The entire-surface, slow, no-wake rule will continue on lakes Monona, Waubesa and Kegonsa, as well as in the Cherokee Marsh north of Lake Mendota.

"Slow, no wake" means boats need to travel at very slow speed, slow enough to keep waves from forming but still fast enough to maintain steerage of the craft.

"We appreciate the patience of our businesses and boaters in the wake of June's record rains and flooding," said Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk in announcing the change in the slow, no-wake order.

While boaters will be able to open it up away from shore on Lake Mendota, Sheriff Dave Mahoney said marine patrols will be out in force to enforce the no-wake rule.

"By continuing the order within 500 feet of shore on Lake Mendota, we hope boaters will be able to enjoy the lakes while still maintaining the necessary protection of the shoreline," Mahoney said. "Deputies will be patrolling all the lakes this weekend, and violators of the order will be cited."

All four lakes are still above their target maximum levels but have fallen below the "100-year" levels.

Readings taken Thursday show Lake Mendota at 851.29 feet above sea level, while the target maximum is 850.1 feet, and the 100-year level is 852 feet.

Lake Monona is at 847.27 feet with a target of 845.2 feet and a 100-year level at 848 feet, Lake Waubesa is at 846.82 feet with a target of 845 feet and a 100-year level at 847 feet, and Lake Kegonsa is at 844.68 feet with a target of 843.5 feet and a 100-year level at 845 feet.

Falling lake levels could result in the relaxing of the slow, no-wake order on the other big lakes, Falk said.

"We will continue to monitor levels daily and make changes to the order as soon as conditions are deemed safe for boaters and concerns about shoreline damage are alleviated," Falk said.

The Capital Times  —  7/03/2008 8:03 am