Below the Surface: A New Study Considers the Impacts of Powerboats on Lakes

In recent years, powerboats have become larger, with increased horsepower and new wake-enhancing technologies to aid in sports such as wakesurfing. As these boats grow in popularity, there is a need for science-based information about their environmental impacts.

To help fill this gap, researchers at the Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL) have spent the past five years studying how recreational powerboats affect lake ecosystems. Their goal is to provide data that can contribute to boater education and help stakeholders make decisions that protect freshwater resources. Read their Phase I Report, which focused on characterizing wake waves, here.

Today, the team has published their Phase II report, titled A Field Study of Recreational Powerboat Hydrodynamics and Their Impacts on the Water Column and Lakebed. This study produced a wealth of data that indicates small changes can have big benefits for lake health. 

“Staying in deep water when you're out on the water —  especially when wakeboarding or surfing — is an easy and effective way to enjoy and protect our waterways. Also, give space between your boat and other boaters and the shoreline," says Jeff Marr, the principal investigator for the project. 

The Phase II study concludes by outlining the minimum operational depths all recreational powerboats, under their typical modes of operation, should maintain to minimize impacts to the lakebed: