WAKESURFING: Watch video, decide for yourself

As predictable as the sun rising in the morning is the annual debate over suitability of wake boats in North Idaho rivers and lakes.  

Proponents contend the boats have little to no damaging consequences for riparian zones or lake/river beds, while opponents point to obvious erosion damage along shorelines.

A recent University of Minnesota underwater video study demonstrates just what happens in the shallow zones, which inexplicably seem to be areas most favored for this activity. This is of particular interest with regard to long buried heavy metals contained in Lake Coeur d’Alene sediment which can easily be stirred up into the water column, particularly when the lake level is low in late summer. This severe localized increase in turbidity can also negatively impact fish spawning areas for late summer spawning species, like kokanee.

The video on YouTube is titled “Underwater cameras reveal wakesurfing impacts on lakes.”

Watch, and decide for yourself.

MIKE CHASE

Dalton Gardens