Wake Boats & Lake Health: A Resource Guide for Des Moines Lake Community Members

This page compiles research, studies, and resources to help our community understand the documented impacts of wake boats on lakes like ours. We encourage all members to review these materials and stay informed.

What Is a Wake Boat?

Wake boats (also called wakeboarding or wakesurfing boats) are specially designed watercraft equipped with large internal ballast water tanks — sometimes holding up to 4,000–5,000 pounds of water — that are filled deliberately to weigh the boat down and generate large, powerful waves. These waves can be 3 to 10 times larger than those produced by traditional recreational boats, and they last significantly longer, affecting the shoreline, lake bottom, and aquatic ecosystem well after the boat has passed.

What the Research Shows

University of Minnesota / St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL) Studies

The University of Minnesota’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL) has conducted some of the most comprehensive scientific research on wake boat impacts in the country. Their multi-phase study series examined wave characteristics, sediment disturbance, shoreline erosion, and aquatic vegetation damage.

Phase I findings established that wake boats produce waves with significantly greater energy, height, and duration than conventional recreational boats — even at lower speeds. The waves travel farther from the boat’s path and affect shallower, near-shore areas where aquatic plants, fish spawning habitat, and wildlife are concentrated.

Phase II findings confirmed and expanded on Phase I results, examining real-world conditions across multiple lake types. Key conclusions included:

Wake boat waves cause measurable sediment resuspension — stirring up lake-bottom sediment that clouds the water and smothers aquatic plant beds and fish spawning areas.
The waves reach shallower water depths (2–6 feet) where traditional boats typically do not, disrupting near-shore habitat that serves as critical nursery areas for fish and nesting areas for waterfowl.
Shoreline erosion was significantly accelerated in areas with regular wake boat activity, threatening both natural shorelines and private property.
The impacts occurred even when wake boats operated well within standard no-wake zone distances.

Read more:

Lakebed Impact Study – FOX6 News Milwaukee

A study featured by FOX6 News Milwaukee specifically examined the impact of wakesurfing on the lake bottom (lakebed). Underwater video footage documented the turbulence and sediment disturbance caused by wake boats passing overhead, offering a dramatic visual illustration of impacts that are often invisible from the surface.

Watch: Wakesurfing Lakebed Impact Study – FOX6 News Milwaukee (YouTube)

Wisconsin Research: Wakeboat Impacts on Lake Ecosystems

Researchers in Wisconsin have also published peer-reviewed work documenting the effects of wake boats on lake ecosystems, including impacts to native aquatic plants, fish populations, water clarity, and shoreline stability. This body of work reinforces findings from Minnesota and demonstrates that wake boat impacts are consistent across different lake environments in the upper Midwest.

Watch: Wake Boat Impacts to Lakes (YouTube) — recommended by Burnett County, Wisconsin lake advocates.

The Boating Industry’s Own Acknowledgment

Notably, video evidence has emerged in which the boating industry itself acknowledges that enhanced wakes from ballasted wake boats cause damage to lakes. This acknowledgment carries particular weight because it comes from parties with a financial interest in the continued sale and use of these boats.

Understanding the boating industry’s position is an important part of the full picture. The two primary trade organizations representing wake boat manufacturers and the wake sports industry — the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA) — have both published official statements and launched public-facing initiatives in response to growing concerns from lake communities. The WSIA’s Wake Responsibly campaign promotes voluntary guidelines such as operating at least 200 feet from shore and limiting repetitive passes. While the industry argues that responsibly operated wake boats pose minimal risk, independent academic research tells a different story: a 2025 peer-reviewed study in Lake and Reservoir Management confirmed that wake boats produce amplified versions of the same impacts as conventional motorboats — including shoreline erosion, sediment disturbance, water quality changes, and increased risk of invasive species spread. We share these industry resources so our community members can read all sides and draw their own conclusions.

Sources:

The AIS Ballast Water Problem

One of the most urgent and underappreciated concerns associated with wake boats is their role in spreading Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS).

Wake boats carry thousands of pounds of water in their ballast tanks to generate larger waves. When a wake boat moves from one body of water to another without fully draining, cleaning, and drying its ballast system, it can transport invasive species — including plants like Eurasian watermilfoil and curly-leaf pondweed, as well as animals like zebra mussels and spiny water fleas — directly into previously unaffected lakes.

This is distinct from other boating AIS risks (like weeds caught on a trailer or motor) because the water is held inside the hull, making it harder to inspect, and because the volumes of water involved are extremely large.

Action alerts have been issued urging lake community members and policymakers to require wake boat ballast tanks to be drained, cleaned, and verified before entering any new body of water — similar to rules already in place for trailer boats, but specifically addressing the unique ballast water risk.

Minnesota’s Official Position: Wake Boat FAQs

The Minnesota DNR and related agencies have published an official FAQ document addressing the most common questions about wake boats, their regulation, and the science behind their impacts. This is a useful, accessible starting point for community members who want a plain-language overview.

Read: Minnesota 2022 Wake Boat FAQs (PDF)

Video Resources

Title	Source	Link
Wakesurfing Lakebed Impact Study	FOX6 News Milwaukee	Watch on YouTube
Wake Boat Impacts to Lakes	Burnett County, WI Lake Advocates	Watch on YouTube

What Can You Do?

Stay informed. Read the research linked on this page and share it with neighbors and friends who use the lake.
Support lake-protective regulations. When state or local agencies open public comment periods on wake boat rules, submit your voice. Lake associations and individual community members both carry weight in these processes.
Practice responsible boating. If you operate a ballasted boat, always drain, clean, and dry your ballast tanks before entering a new lake — and encourage others to do the same.
Report AIS sightings. If you notice suspicious aquatic plants or animals in our lake, report them to your state DNR immediately. Early detection is the most effective tool for preventing AIS establishment.
Talk to your elected officials. Legislators at the state and county level set the rules for lake use. Let them know that lake health matters to our community.

Sources & Further Reading

This resource page was compiled from materials shared by community members and lake advocates. While wake boats are widely enjoyed recreationally, there is limited research-based literature outlining their environmental benefits compared to the volume of studies examining their impacts. Last updated: May 2026. For questions or to contribute additional resources, please contact the Des Moines Lake Association.