Sami Selter, MN Lakes and Rivers Associate Director
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 enhanced wake boats and the growing popularity of wake surfing.
On a summer afternoon, it’s easy to see the appeal. Watching a surfer carve across a rolling wake is captivating. Wake surfing is often gentler on the body than water skiing or wakeboarding, making it accessible to a wider range of ages and skill levels. With slower speeds and built-in sound systems, wake boats provide an exciting for friends and family to enjoy a day at the lake.
But with the excitement comes growing concern.
Enhanced wake boats are designed to produce large, high-energy waves—and those waves don’t stop at the surfer. Homeowners report damage to docks, lifts, and moored boats. Shorelines erode. Below the surface, powerful prop thrusts stir up sediments, reduce water clarity, uproot vegetation, and disturb fish spawning beds. Other lake users—boaters, swimmers, paddlers, and families relaxing on docks—are increasingly reporting safety issues related to proximity and wave intensity.
To bring clarity—literally and figuratively—MLR is helping lake communities turn science into action.
Best practices informed by the peer-reviewed, independent studies from the University of Minnesota’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory clearly recommends that wake surfing be limited to areas at least 500 feet from shore or other boats, and operating in water at least 20 feet deep. This minimizes disturbance to shorelines, aquatic life, and other lake users.
But this guidance is difficult to visualize—most boaters don’t know where the 500-foot boundary falls on their specific lake, and few can estimate water depth without specialized tools. Without a clear visual reference, even well-intentioned users may unknowingly operate in sensitive or unsafe areas.
That’s why MLR is now offering Wake-Safe Maps to our member lake associations. Using bathymetric data, we create a PDF map of your lake showing exactly where these conditions are met—clearly identifying the areas best suited for wake surfing with the least impact.
The cost is just $150, which covers the data processing and design. Once you receive your map, it’s yours to use as you see fit. Some lake associations are customizing their maps to include:
- Notices about aquatic invasive species and treatment zones
- Loon nesting sites or sensitive shoreline habitats
- Areas undergoing shoreline restoration
- Educational messaging about lake-friendly boating
These maps are a flexible tool—designed to support your local efforts to balance recreation with protection. Whether you print them for signage, share them in newsletters, print them as handouts, or post them online, they provide a science-backed baseline for safe and respectful wake surfing on your lake.
Maps are only available to MLR Member Organizations – not a member? Click here to join!