Mattoon Boaters Express Concerns Over Newly Implemented Wake...

In Mattoon, Illinois, a proposed ordinance change is creating a buzz as city officials aim to maintain the pristine condition of their lakes.

The Mattoon City Council convened on Tuesday evening to discuss potential amendments to two ordinances, focusing on revising regulations for wake surfing activities on Lake Mattoon.

The proposed changes would impose new restrictions on wake surfing, distinguishing it from regular wakeboarding. Wake surfing involves filling a boat’s ballasts to increase its weight, which allows it to produce larger waves at reduced speeds. Under the new rules, enthusiasts would be required to wake surf at least 600 feet from the shore and in water depths of at least 15 feet. Previously, there were no such limitations.

As the city continues its vigilant monitoring of drinking water nearly a year after dealing with algae blooms, community perspectives are varied. Discussions with residents reveal that wake surfing is primarily concentrated in the lake’s southern region. However, the proposed regulations aim to prohibit wake surfing entirely by 2027, a move that has sparked concerns among some lakeside residents.

“One of the top priorities is maintaining quality, clean, accessible water,” said City of Mattoon Grant Writer Darci Cather.

The City of Mattoon thinks one way to do that is limiting and ultimately banning wake surfing on Lake Mattoon, which is one of it’s primary water sources. It’s a sentiment some at the city council meeting agreed with.

“I finally feel like I have some hope that we can preserve our lakes and this community to go and prosper,” said Kaki Miller, who lives on Lake Mattoon.

But it’s something boaters couldn’t get onboard with.

“Trying to put this in banning wakeboarding makes absolutely no sense,” one community member said.

The city said these bigger wakes cause increased erosion on Lake Mattoon’s banks, increasing the amount of fertilizer seeping into it. Many homeowners on the lake, though, say that’s a minimal issue and that it’s mostly caused by the environment. This includes Brian Laird who was on the committee formed to tackle the issue.

“Most noticeable erosion happens early in spring before most boats hit the water and after major summer storms,” Laird said.

Others say this feels like a band-aid solution to prevent another algae bloom like last year’s resulting in a do-not-drink order.

“Lake boats are not simply the primary cause of algae blooms in respect. I suggested this issue is bigger,” Tyler Wahl said.

But the city said they are doing more, like installing new filters, studying both lakes and more.

“The reality is that since the water crisis, the city has been taking many different a multi-pronged, multifaceted approach,” Cather said.

But they emphasized that the greater weight of wake surfing does cause more sediment to be stirred up at the bottom of the lake. It’s something the city said they learned this firsthand in an eight-week course provided by U of I Extension.

“One of the things that they did recommend in that eight-week training was that wake surfing be restricted as well,” Cather said.

The ordinance changes passed 3-2. One of the speakers Tuesday night said if this is passed, they will pursue legal action.

Welcome to Newsfinale Journal

Welcome to Newsfinale Journal

Welcome to Newsfinale Journal

Topics

Read more

Subscribe to Liberty Case

Forever

Recommended

1-Year

1-Month

Topics

Read more

Subscribe to Liberty Case

Forever

Recommended

1-Year

1-Month

Welcome to Newsfinale Journal

Mattoon Boaters Express Concerns Over Newly Implemented Wake Surfing Regulations

Subscribe for exclusive content