Wake debate resurfaces

COEUR d'ALENE — Wakes amid increasing traffic on waterways in Kootenai County are causing a ripple effect of concerns.

County commissioners will hear no-wake zone recommendations from Waterways Advisory Board members at 9 a.m. today on the first floor of the Administration Building, 451 N. Government Way.

The meeting is being held in the commissioners' larger meeting room due to an expected heavy turnout, county parks and waterways director Nick Snyder said.

"We expect attendance from both sides of the issue," Snyder said. "While this meeting is not noticed as a public hearing, the public comment portion could morph into a (hearing-like feel) by default."

Snyder said the meeting is a follow-up to last month's advisory board meeting for commissioners to discuss recommendations being brought forth. Commissioners may decide to hold a public hearing on the recommendations at a later date or not at all.

Recommendations include:

- Making the narrow channel on the north side of Spirit Lake near the public boat launch a permanent no-wake zone, (it is already a no-wake zone if two or more boats are passing), and

- A re-submittal of a January 2018 advisory board proposal that includes hiring two more marine deputies with an emphasis on patrolling the Spokane River, mandatory boater education for those convicted of boating violations, and funding for public education campaigns.

The latter proposal did not pass when voted on by the previous board of commissioners. Two-thirds of the commission, however, is new this year.

Another possibility to be discussed by commissioners is sheriff’s office use of high-resolution cameras on the Spokane River to monitor boat traffic.

Wake surfing, a relatively new activity on the Spokane River and lakes, continues to be a hot-button topic discussed among officials and property owners because it’s being blamed for some shoreline-erosion problems.

Although making the entire Spokane River a no-wake zone has been mentioned by advisory board members and some residents, the idea hasn't caught on.

Snyder said the growing trend of ballast boats designed to create larger wakes, more homes with boats on the waterways, a lack of marine deputies and an explosion of waterway users has resulted in a spike of citizen complaints in recent years.

While restoring order on the water isn't a new topic for county leaders to wrestle with, the issue has grown into organized efforts.

RiverFriends is a group of Spokane River property owners concerned about large wakes.

"Except for adding marine deputies, we believe that these suggestions will do little to address the major issues that we all have encountered on the river," a group newsletter states. "Based on input from you, the serious safety, environmental, erosion and damage issues caused by large wakes on the river are our main concern and need to be addressed immediately."

The group proposes no "plowing" on the river between Lake Coeur d'Alene and the Post Falls dams.

Plowing includes any boat in a wake-enhancing mode and any boat creating a wake of 24 inches or more whether by design or due to the manner in which it’s operated.

Boats transitioning from no-wake speed to operating on a plane in a normal manner would not be affected by the rule.

Meanwhile, a group of Spirit Lake property owners presented commissioners with a petition calling for a ban of wake boats on that lake.

Some say only the area's large lakes — such as Coeur d'Alene and Pend Oreille — are large enough to handle wake boats to mitigate environmental concerns. Others contend wake boats are being unfairly targeted for the erosion issues.

Snyder said determining how to handle the wake issue is complex.

"There's no one easy solution that fixes it all," he said. "There's going to have to be several steps or various approaches to address the problem. There are a lot of moving parts in this.

"This will be a challenge for the board and has been for past boards. We have existing laws that speak to damaging wakes, but why aren't those working and do new laws need to be implemented?"

Snyder said his recommendation is to evaluate each body of water on its own.

"A blanket rule would be difficult because each water body is different," he said. "There are unique conditions and different shorelines to each."

A no-tow rule is already applied to the Coeur d'Alene River.

Snyder said the debate has far-reaching effects from property owners to boaters and marine businesses.

"Boating in Kootenai County is not just a recreation sport; it's a way of life," he said. "It's a big reason people move here. The impacts of boating are everywhere you look."