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21h ago

Minnesota Researchers Recommend Minimum Water Depths to Shield Lakebeds From Wakeboats

Local regulators are weighing new boating ordinances after a University of Minnesota report that recommends a 10-foot minimum depth for cruising vessels with a 20-foot threshold for wakeboats.

Professional wakesurfer and Minnesota Wakesurf Championship event organizer Andy Weigman practiced on Lake Minnetonka earlier this month for the upcoming event.
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Overview

  • The study quantified how wakeboats in surfing mode can resuspend sediment and release phosphorus, fueling algae growth in Minnesota lakes.
  • Researchers advise all powerboats to cruise in at least 10 feet of water and require wakeboats to surf in depths of 20 feet or more to protect lakebeds.
  • These depth guidelines, published July 29–30 by the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, are informing local ordinance efforts in the absence of statewide regulation.
  • The marine industry disputes the findings, arguing that existing 10-foot and 200-foot setback standards adequately protect waterways and questioning the study’s data.
  • A final research phase comparing wake-induced waves with natural wind-driven waves will conclude in fall 2025, leaving long-term ecosystem impacts still unassessed.