High Water Requires Slow Boats On Local Waterways

The 4th of July is one of the most popular boating days in Wisconsin. The rising water levels on rivers and lakes throughout the state mean a lot of boats are having to slow down.

A few Madison area lakes are under “slow – no wake” orders after water levels rapidly rose following recent storms.

Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney says boaters need to slow down as a safety precaution.

Mahoney: “As some of our wetlands become flooded, we’ve actually had bogs break lose and drift into lakes. If someone’s not accustomed to some of these areas, if you’re boating on one of our lakes, particularly during evening hours, there’s potential that debris floating in the lakes could become a significant hazard.”

There’s more debris on rivers when water levels are high. There are also faster currents, which makes it more difficult to steer a boat.

According to the National Weather Service, the Mississippi River’s levels remain higher around southern Wisconsin but are expected to fall throughout the week. Near La Crosse, the river is hovering around 10 feet, so there’s a “slow – no wake” order for developed shorelines. La Crosse City/County Harbor Commission Secretary Karl Green says slowing boats down can help preserve docks and other structures.

Green: “Some of those infrastructures are being taxed by the elevation of the river, then you put that additional stress of a big wake and that can really cause some pretty significant damage.”

The Mississippi River in the Minneapolis area is closed to recreational boating.

Sheriff’s departments, the Coast Guard, and Department of Natural Resources wardens will be patrolling waters across the state and will issue citations for people violating the “slow – no wake” orders. They’ll also be making sure that boaters have proper life preservers on board and that boat operators are sober.