600-foot no-wake zone in effect on all lakes in Dickinson County

The Emergency Management Commission in Dickinson County has installed a 600 foot no-wake zone along shore in all lakes in Dickinson County effective immediately.

The water level on Iowa’s Great Lakes is more than two feet above crest, which is over topping docks, damaging shorelines and causing erosion. The no-wake zone will be in effect until further notice.

The no-wake zone decision was reached during at a meeting of the commission, which is made up of the mayors from each city or their designee, a member from the Board of Supervisors, and the Dickinson County Sheriff. Others at the meeting were representatives from local homeowners associations, the Iowa Great Lakes and Spirit Lake Chambers of Commerce, and the public works department.

“The consensus of the Emergency Management Commission, as well as those in attendance at the meeting, was to create a 600 foot no-wake zone as a proactive step to reduce the damage and erosion boat waves are currently having on our shoreline,” said Mike Ehret, emergency management coordinator for Dickinson County.

Rich Jordet, northwest regional supervisor for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement, said his lake patrol officers will advise boaters of the no-wake zone. He said maps with the no-wake zone identified will be handed out at area boat ramps and the information will be broadcast on the DNR’s low-band radio station on AM 1640, which normally broadcasts aquatic invasive species information.

“We are encouraging all of our boaters to reduce their wake as much as possible even if they are not in the 600 foot no-wake zone,” Jordet said.  “Our water level is so high that on East Okoboji Lake a majority of the docks are under water which can cause additional hazards to boaters if boards or other items become dislodged.”

While the current water level is high, it is still about 21 inches below the 1993 flood levels, which was the last time that a no-wake zone was issued on the Iowa Great Lakes.  The Iowa DNR will be enforcing the no-wake zone.

“Our no-wake buoys are set at 300 feet from shore, so if boaters can use their judgment and double that distance, then they should be in compliance,” Jordet said.