Board hears briefing on wake-boat risks and aquatic invasive species; department cites enforcement, education limits
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Summary
DNR staff briefed the board on wake-boat design, ballast-related aquatic invasive species risks, current outreach (Clean Boats, Clean Waters) and limits to statutory enforcement; staff said local ordinances and partnerships remain primary tools while research and industry engagement continue.
The Natural Resources Board received an informational briefing on wake boats, wake-enhancing devices and aquatic invasive species (AIS) risks on June 25.
Michelle Nault (section manager, Lakes and Rivers) explained that wake boats can carry large volumes of water in ballast systems and some designs make complete draining difficult. That residual water can contain small AIS life stages such as zebra or quagga mussel veligers. Nault said existing research is limited and the degree to which wake boats contribute to AIS spread compared with other pathways is still being studied. She noted zebra and quagga mussels have similar calcium needs and that quagga mussels have been found in some local inland lakes.
Nault described the statewide Clean Boats, Clean Waters (CBCW) outreach program (marking its 20th anniversary). CBCW volunteers contact more than 300,000 people at landings annually and inspect about 150,000 boats; volunteers are educators not enforcement officers. The department has distributed materials for wake-boat operators and CBCW inspectors and made decontamination guidance available on the DNR website.
April Dombrowski, bureau director for Recreational Safety and Outdoor Skills, reviewed enforcement and local-authority options. State statutes require draining water from live wells, bilges and ballast tanks when boats are removed from inland waters, but DNR law enforcement officers must have clear evidence to cite a violation. Local governments may adopt boating ordinances to regulate wake activity and many communities have done so; the department provides advisory review for local ordinances but does not administer them. Dombrowski said the department has seen an increase in local ordinances addressing wake activity (roughly 50 ordinances identified during the meeting) and that coordinated local boat patrols and education grants support compliance.
Board members asked about industry engagement, the adequacy of research specific to Wisconsin lakes, and whether available video evidence could be used in enforcement. Staff said some industry-led tools and apps exist to help operators clean and document decontamination steps and that devices to filter water exist but are costly and may not perform well in nutrient-rich lakes. Staff recommended continued research, outreach, local ordinance development and targeted funding to support inspections.
