Protect Your Shoreline With An Itasca Waters Shoreland Advisor

Do horsepower and wake boating matter to your lake? 

Wakeboats and other large recreational vessels are becoming more prevalent on Minnesota lakes including northern and western regions of the state. While wakesurfing is an enjoyable, family-friendly activity, it is creating substantial concern from citizens, landowners, and lake resource managers. The large waves produced by wakesurf boats have been observed to cause damage to shorelines and property and can also create unsafe conditions for other boaters. There is also concern that extreme wake waves and propeller thrust cause erosion and resuspension of sediment from the lake bottom. This seminar will report on ongoing research by the University of Minnesota, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, looking at impacts of large boat waves on Minnesota lakes. The talk will also present UMN’s plans for future research and what actions boat owners and lake residents can take to protect lakes and recreational access for all users.

Presented by: Jeff Marr is the Associate Director of Engineering and Facilities at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL), University of Minnesota. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota in 1996 in Civil Engineering and an MS, also from UMN, in 1999. In his current role, Jeff oversees the applied research team at SAFL, which has ongoing work in stormwater engineering, hydraulic modeling, wind and waterpower, river engineering and restoration, and technology development.