Lake Mohawksin enhanced wake ordinance gets thumbs up from Bradley board

TOWN OF BRADLEY – Less than two weeks after the City of Tomahawk Common Council approved an ordinance regulating enhanced wakes on Lake Mohawksin, the Town of Bradley Board of Supervisors has followed suit.

The Town of Bradley board gave the thumbs up to its own Lake Mohawksin enhanced wake ordinance on Monday, Sept. 14. The ordinance was approved by a 3-1 vote, according to meeting minutes.

The Town of Bradley and the City of Tomahawk share jurisdiction over Lake Mohawksin. In order to meet Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) guidelines, the municipalities needed to pass collaborative ordinances.

The City of Tomahawk ordinance, which was approved by the Common Council on Tuesday, Sept. 1, also covers all segments of the Wisconsin and Tomahawk rivers within city limits.

Enhanced wakes are large waves created by wakeboats traveling at slow speeds and are utilized for wakesurfing and other watersports.

Supporters of prohibiting enhanced wakes point to their potential environmental impacts, including shoreline erosion, threats to aquatic life and waterfowl, the spread of aquatic invasive species and increased risk of algal blooms caused by re-suspended sediment adding nutrients to the water.

Opposition to enhanced wake rules stems in part from wakeboat manufacturing organizations and watersports groups and enthusiasts.

The ordinances do not ban activities such as water skiing, tubing and wakeboarding, provided that wake-enhancing equipment is not used during the activities.

With their respective ordinances now in place, the Town of Bradley and the City of Tomahawk join the Towns of King, Wilson, Nokomis and roughly 100 other Wisconsin municipalities that have enacted enhanced wake rules.