by Scott Brown
MWA e-Newsletter Editor
Introduced by MI State Senator Rosemary Bayer (District 13) on Thursday, February 26, Senate Bill 812 has been referred to the MI State Senate committee on NATURAL RESOURCES AND AGRICULTURE for analysis and consideration.
The language of MI Senate Bill 812 defines “wake boat as a vessel that is equipped with wake-enhancing equipment. Wake boat includes, but is not limited to, a wake surf boat and a ballasted boat.”
If passed by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Whitmer as introduced, MI Senate Bill 812 would prohibit the operation of vessels operating in “wake sport mode” in “waters of this state where the water depth is less than 20 feet and to a distance of not less than 500 feet from the shoreline or a dock, a raft, a buoyed or occupied bathing area, or a vessel moored or at anchor.”
It is important to note that MI State Senate Bill 812 has been introduced in an era ‘when a dramatic upsurge in the number of wake boats operating on the inland waters of the Laurentian Great Lakes region has resulted in a significant increase of confirmed reports of enhanced wake inflicted damage to docks, moored boats as well as to developed and natural shorelines. Studies have shown that all wake boat passages that occur within 984 feet of shore are capable of contributing significant energy to naturally occurring waves. The impact of wakes created during boat passes is “directly and inversely” related to the distance between the passage and the shore. Wakes generated in close proximity to shore, and/or within shallow waters are known to possess the greatest potential to impact ecologically sensitive aquatic habitat. In contrast to wakes created by vessels operating in deep, open waters a great distance from shore that are unlikely to disturb shallows and shoreline habitat, wakes created in close proximity to shore, and/or in shallow waters are not allotted the time, distance, and/or depth that is necessary for their energy to dissipate before disturbing vulnerable benthic habitat, and/or both natural and developed shorelines.
The significant potential for wakes generated by passing boats to cause severe erosion, and/or to otherwise substantially harm nearby shorelines has been clearly demonstrated by the fact that even small, light-weight outboard motor propelled aluminum fishing boats passing at moderate speeds within 500 feet or less of shore are capable of creating wakes of sufficient magnitude to inflict damage to shoreline property and natural habitat. It is also important to note that the most significant occurrences of damage to shoreline infrastructure and natural shorelines often take place during periods marked by high water levels due to the fact that enhanced wakes are capable of coming much closer to shore before they break, resulting in rapid dissipation of their energy. Lakefront property owners in particular are likely to be painfully aware of the fact that during the past several years many inland lakes located within the freshwater inundated Great Lakes region continue to experience the combined destructive influences attributed to a steadily increasing number of wake boats operating on inland lakes that are experiencing historically high-water levels.
To download a copy of MI Senate Bill 812, click here
To download a detailed wake boat issue focused Power Point presentation, click here