Slow No Wake Declared for Lake Monona
July 23, 2010
Joshua Wescott, Office of the County Executive (608) 267-8823; Elise Schaffer, Dane County Sheriff’s Office (608) 284-6142; Scott McDonell, Dane County Board Chairman (608) 266-5758
County Executive
Heavy Rains, Forecast of Additional Storms Prompt County Executive, Sheriff, County Board Chair to Issue Order
Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney and Dane County Board Chair Scott McDonell today issued a Slow/No Wake Order for Lake Monona.
This order is only for Lake Monona and not any other lakes in the Yahara Chain. It goes into effect at sunrise, Saturday July 24th.
Heavy rainfall from repeated thunderstorms and forecasts of additional storms with heavy rain in the next 24 hours prompted the Slow/No Wake order for Lake Monona. While all lakes continue to slowly rise, at this time, the other lakes in the Yahara Chain remain below levels at which Slow/No Wake orders have been issued in the past.
The Slow/No Wake order means boats must move as slowly as possible while still maintaining steering control and produce no wake. The order will be lifted when waters have receded to safe levels.
Violators may be subject to citation and fine by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office along with the County Department of Land and Water Resources will be posting signs and buoys informing lake users about the Slow/No Wake order.
In addition to this new order for Lake Monona, boaters are also reminded that a Slow/No Wake order remains in effect for Squaw Bay. In addition, all lakes in the Yahara Chain have permanent, year-round 200-feet from shore slow/no wake restrictions.
The Dane County Land and Water Resources Department will continue to monitor lake levels in the coming days as more thunderstorms are forecast to affect the area today, tonight, and tomorrow. Additional Slow/No Wake orders may be issued if waters continue to rise.