Round Lake in the town of Farmington. Mar. 18, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
FARMINGTON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A town in Waupaca County repealed its ban Thursday on wake boats for Round and Rainbow lakes, but could revisit the issue in the coming months. Meanwhile, a discussion next week focuses on a possible statewide policy for the issue.
Wake boats have special ballast tanks to create large water displacements for surfing and tubing, without use of tow rope. However, their use creates concerns about erosion, impacts on other water users, and invasive species.
Farmington adopted a ban on the boats in January. However, there have been threats of legal action, as well as suggestions to implement limits – such as distance from shore, water depth, and lake size – instead of total bans.
The town held a public hearing on the issue last month, with supporters on both sides offering commentary.
On Thursday, the town board voted 2-1 to repeal the ban. Supervisors Phil Durrant and Craig Nelson voted to repeal, while Chair Caroline Murphy voted to keep the ban in place.
Farmington’s ordinance applied to Round and Rainbow lakes, which are entirely within the town. Columbia Lake is in both Farmington and the town of Dayton, while Long Lake is within Dayton.
Murphy said there may be discussion with Dayton on an ordinance to cover all four lakes, but there is no timeline for when that may be considered.
Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Conservation Congress – which provides citizen feedback to the DNR and Natural Resources Board – holds meetings in every county of the state at 6 p.m. Monday to gather comments on multiple items, including wake boats.
One resolution (#43) would restrict wake surfing on lakes smaller than 1500 acres and mandate that wake surfing occur at a minimum of 20 feet of water and from 700 feet from shore.
Two other resolutions would specifically address ballast tanks. One (#42) would require all ballast systems to have a “reasonable practical” means of inspection to confirm they are emptied, and the other (#32) would prohibit the use of wake boat ballast systems on the premise that they cannot be emptied, and therefore can transmit invasive aquatic species.
If you cannot attend the meeting, online feedback will be accepted through the DNR’s website April 10-13.
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