Wake Surfing on Clitherall Lake? Please read this.
Wake surfing has gained in popularity in Minnesota and across the country. It has also attracted criticism when the wakes created by these watercraft erode shoreline, damage docks, and disrupt other boaters, water skiers, etc. Also, the downward prop thrust of these watercraft can stir up lake bed sediments increasing turbidity, which can smother spawning beds and kill aquatic plants.
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The Clitherall Lake Association is a member of Minnesota Lakes & Rivers Advocates, and we support their long term strategy that advocates scientific research, natural shorelines, and boater education to ensure healthy lakes.
Research done at the University of Minnesota's College of Science and Engineering Saint Anthony Falls Fluid Dynamics Lab recommends that wake surfing should be done in water at least 20 feet deep and at least 500 feet clear of shore in order to prevent shoreline erosion and lake bed scouring. The map shown above highlights those areas.