Wake Sports

Wakesports can be conducted safely and responsibly, but they can also pose a threat to water quality and to lake ecosystems.

Lake Sunapee Protective Association (LSPA) advocates for responsible wakesurfing that minimizes impacts to water quality and lake ecosystems. The best available science supports the following recommendations:

1) Stay at least 500 ft from shore when wakesurfing. A distance of 1000 ft. is preferable to minimize shoreline erosion.

2) Only engage in wakesports in deep water. A minimum depth of 20 ft is necessary to avoid uprooting plants and stirring up sediment. This is vital to maintaining fish habitat and reducing the likelihood of toxic cyanobacteria blooms.

3) Keep your boat on a ‘home lake’ for the season rather than moving between lakes. This reduces the chance of introducing invasive species such as spiny water flea, which can disrupt lake ecosystems.

Read a Detailed Report Summarizing the Best Available Science

Click here to read a study from the University of Minnesota on waves created by recreational boats. To read the full scientific article, click here.