In recent years, MLR has been at the forefront of one of the most visible—and divisive—changes on Minnesota’s lakes: the rise of wake boats and the growing popularity of wake surfing.
As boating activity increased during the pandemic in 2020, MLR began hearing from members concerned about shoreline erosion, watercraft safety, water quality, and how lakes can balance recreation with ecological health.
On a summer afternoon, it’s easy to see the appeal of wake surfing. Watching a surfer carve across a rolling wake is captivating, and enthusiasts say the sport is easier on the body than other tow sports, making it accessible to a wider range of ages and skill levels.
But the specially designed hulls and ballast systems that create these powerful waves can also damage shorelines, docks, boat lifts, and moored watercraft, while propeller-driven currents can stir up lakebed sediments, reduce water clarity, uproot aquatic vegetation, and disturb fish habitat.
Sediment disturbance can also release nutrients into the water column, potentially contributing to algae growth and harmful algal blooms. These competing interests raise an important question: How can Minnesota protect its lakes while ensuring they remain accessible for recreation?
MLR’s 3-Part Strategy to Address the Controversy:
Minnesota’s waters are a shared public resource, and protecting them requires balancing recreation with ecological health and safety. MLR’s approach brings together science, education, and community organizing to develop practical solutions grounded in collaboration.
By listening to lake associations, local and state agencies, enforcement officers, lawmakers, marina owners, boat dealers, and boat manufacturers, MLR has worked to build a shared understanding of the issue and identify a sustainable path forward for Minnesota’s lakes and rivers.
Step 1: Science. We discovered a collective need for independent, expert-reviewed research that analyzed the impact of both wake and non-wake boats. Industry had produced a few studies at this time, but lake advocates were skeptical of research funded by manufacturers.
Through initial crowdfunding, MLR and its partners helped launch the Healthy Waters Initiative, which later received full funding through the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. Led by researchers at the University of Minnesota’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, the 3- part initiative examines how recreational boats affect Minnesota’s waters.
Research from the first two phases found that:
- Wake boats generated approximately twice the wave energy and height of typical recreational boats.
- Enhanced waves traveled approximately 500 to 1,000 feet, extending their potential impacts well beyond the immediate surfing area.
- Wake boats generated strong currents near the lakebed in water less than 20 feet deep. Disturbed sediments could remain suspended in the water column for up to 15 minutes in shallow water.
Step 2: Education. The initial research supported two key best practices for operating in wake-surfing mode: stay at least 500 feet from shore and operate in water at least 20 feet deep.
MLR was successful in lobbying to both pass mandatory boater safety education and include this recommendation for wake boating in the curriculum. Now, for new boaters to receive a license to operate a vessel on Minnesota waters, they will learn this guidance and it’s importance for the health of aquatic ecosystems.
MLR is also creating Own Your Wake Maps for lake associations. These maps use bathymetry data to visually show where in the lake is 500 feet from shore and 20 or more feet deep and include language from the state boater safety education course.
Step 3: Organizing. Minnesota’s snowmobile history offers a useful example. Safety training expanded from youth to all snowmobile operators which triggered dedicated funding to support a statewide trail system. Local snowmobile clubs also helped build a culture of responsible recreation, creating intergenerational traditions that now support Minnesota’s winter economy.
MLR is working to build a similar culture on the water. Lake associations have shared Own Your Wake Maps through newsletters and annual meetings, helping boaters understand where they can operate while following recommended distance and depth guidelines.
At one association meeting, a wake boat owner expressed appreciation for feedback from neighbors that helped them “be courteous.” In another example, a lake association invited the local sheriff to explain boater safety laws shortly before the Fourth of July and shared its map as an educational tool. After the holiday weekend, residents reported that many boaters had stayed in the areas highlighted on the map, away from shore, helping reduce conflicts and improve the experience for everyone on the lake.
These examples demonstrate how local leadership, practical tools, and widespread communications can turn science-based recommendations into shared community expectations.
Over time, the goal is for responsible wake boating to become second nature—not just a set of guidelines, but a culture that helps protect Minnesota’s lakes for everyone.
What’s to come: MLR has worked with the Minnesota DNR to approve the Own Your wake Map designs for display at public boat launches on lakes with areas at least 500 feet from shore and 20 feet deep or more to give boaters practical, lake-specific guidance right where they need it.
Across the state, MLR continues to partner with local organizations on workshops and community events to share best practices for wake boating. As more maps are displayed in public areas and more boaters learn about the science and conditions of their lakes, these practices can become an increasingly established social norm.
Through this work, we are also helping to identify lakes where limited depth or other physical characteristics make it difficult to follow the recommended guidelines. MLR’s next step is to work with stakeholders to evaluate the data, understand local conditions, and explore ways to protect lakes with habitats that may be particularly sensitive to wake surfing and propeller-driven currents.