As Boating Season Opens, Water Conditions Remain Less Than Ideal

With the kickoff of the boating season set for this Memorial Day weekend, state and other safety officials are urging boaters to take caution since the conditions in some of Wisconsin’s rivers and lakes aren’t yet ideal.

Geneva Lake Water Safety Patrol Operations Director Ted Pankau says right now, people are scrambling to launch their boats. He says through that frenzy, boaters need to slow down and avoid classic Memorial Day weekend mistakes. He reminds people to put the drain plug back in the boat, charge the battery, and make sure there are enough life vests for all passengers on board.

This weekend, Pankau says hypothermia could set in quickly since Geneva Lake is still cold.

“I know some people are going to be wakeboarding, water skiing, and tubing this weekend,” said Pankau. “They really, really, really need to make sure they have a life jacket on when they go in the water. If signs of hypothermia start to set in, people lose control of their muscles, lose the ability to swim or even think clearly and that can turn into a fatal situation very quickly.”

In western Wisconsin, slow, no-wake restrictions are in effect along parts of the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers.

La Crosse County Sheriff Water Patrol Cpt. Mike Horstman says the Mississippi is running so fast that it’s a hazard.

“With the water being high, the amount of debris, unfortunately … may keep some boaters off the water,” said Horstman. “It’s an unfortunate circumstance, but it’s out of our control.”

Wardens with the Department of Natural Resource are urging boaters to be cautious of dams and spillways. They’ll be patrolling the state’s waters checking registrations, enforcing OWI laws, and educating people about the spread of invasive species.