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LAKE STATUS : LAKE IS "OPEN"  USE CAUTION

cautionPlease use caution on the water and watch for debris. Lake users should be aware of erosion control barriers and avoid them.

MASTER PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, (M.P.O.A.)

WELCOME to the Master Property Owners Association (MPOA) in Wonder Lake, Illinois 60097. The MPOA owns and manages Wonder Lake, a private 830 acre recreational lake located northwest of Chicago. The MPOA office is located at 7602 Hancock Drive, at the northwest corner of Hancock Drive and E. Wonder Lake Road, roughly two miles north of IL Route 120. Do you have a question about the Lake, or need information about the Wonder Lake area? E-mail: office@wlmpoa.org, Phone: (815) 653-1000

LAKE ACTIVITY DURING LAKE CLOSURES

The two primary reasons watercraft are prohibited from using the lake during lake closure is to protect the shoreline from wakes and protect the people and watercraft from floating debris. The Lake Use Commission reviewed this procedure and concluded that non-motorized vehicles, canoes, kayaks, etc. do not make a wake and travel slow enough that they should be able to see and avoid floating debris. It is therefore the recommendation of the Lake Use Commission that future Lake Closure notices will prohibit the use of motorized vehicles.

BOAT SAFETY CLASS

You can take boat safety classes online, at anytime: Boater Exam.com, and Boat-Ed.com are fast and easy and certification cost is $34.95. Persons at least 12 years of age and less than 18 years, without an Adult are required to have a certificate. As lake use on Wonder Lake is largely governed by Illinois Department of Natural Resources regulations, it may be useful to periodically review information related to those regulations. Information can be downloaded at: https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/

LAKE RESTORATION

Fun fact: 516,265 cubic yards of sediment were removed from shallow areas of the lake. This is the equivalent of about 29,000 dump truck loads!

•  NEW  LATEST UPDATE → Lake Managers Report
• Read about the History of Wonder Lake's Restoration
• EROSION CONTROL BARRIERS: Read 2012 Notice to Lake Users
• THE FIGHT AGAINST INVASIVE SPECIES: Learn More

MPOA WATERCRAFT DECAL REMINDER

Lake users are reminded that MPOA Lake Use Decals MUST be permanently affixed to the watercraft / snowmobile / ATV  to which they are registered, and that they are NOT transferable. The Wonder Lake Police Department Marine Patrol is provided with a list of all MPOA Decal registrants, and the specific type and description of the unit each decal number was issued to. Failure to have your MPOA decal permanently affixed is a ticketable offense. 2023 Decal application (PDF).

  • ALL NON-MOTORIZED WATERCRAFT $13-
  • ALL WATERCRAFT 1- 39 HP $30-
  • ALL WATERCRAFT 40 -99 HP $50-
  • ALL WATERCRAFT 100 -249 HP $70-
  • ALL WATERCRAFT 250 HP -AND OVER $100-
  • ALL PERSONAL WATERCRAFT (JET SKI’S) $50-
  • WINTER DECALS (SNOWMOBILES, ATV’s, etc) $5-
  • GUEST PASS $50-

 

Engine Cut-Off Switch (ECOS) FEDERAL LAW - EFFECTIVE APRIL 1st 2021

On April 1, 2021 a new federal law went into effect that requires the operator of a boat with an installed Engine Cut-Off Switch (ECOS) to use the ECOS link. The link is usually a coiled bungee cord lanyard clipped onto the operator's person, Personal Floatation Device (PFD) or clothing and the other end attached to the cut-off switch, but there are plenty of variations on the market, including electronic wireless devices. The law applies on all "Navigable Waters of the US". When an operator is wearing a link while underway, the engine will cut-off if the operator is separated from the operating area, an occurrence that can happen if the operator is ejected from the vessel or falls within the vessel. The shutdown of the engine is essential for safety reasons. If the operator is ejected from the vessel, the shutdown may prevent the operator from impacting the vessel's spinning propeller, and may aid the operator in safely returning to the drifting vessel. The law applies to "Covered Recreational vessels" which means any motorized boat with 3 or more horsepower that is less than 26 feet in length. LEARN MORE

BOATING REGULATIONS - EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1st 2015

• Senate Bill 3434 allows for the seizure of a watercraft used in the commission of certain offenses related to operating under the influence. The new rules bring penalties for boating under the influence more in line with those for operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs or alcohol. 


• Senate Bill 3433 requires all persons born after Jan. 1, 1998 to take and pass a boating safety course validated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and hold a valid boating safety certificate before they can operate a motorboat with an engine over 10 horsepower.

• Senate Bill 2731, mandates that the operator of any watercraft that is towing a person, such as a water skier or tuber, must display a bright orange flag measuring not less than 12 inches per side. The flag must be displayed from the time the person to be towed leaves the boat until that person returns to the boat at the conclusion of the activity. 
Under the law, flying the flag for purposes other than towing is prohibited, so be sure to only display the flag when towing.