Lake Manager’s Report – July 2023

1. Preliminary discussions continue with soil scientists regarding how to best market the dried sediment from the lake dredging project.

2. A request for proposal to conduct our annual state required inspections of the dam and Sediment Drying Facility this fall has been sent out.

3. On July 1st, there was an opening celebration of the new Meadows of West Bay (MOWB) boat ramp. MOWB residents can now obtain access keycards to operate the electric gate at the entrance. The dredged channel leading from the boat ramp to the main body of the lake has been marked with buoys. All new MOWB boaters should make sure their watercraft has a current MPOA boat decal prior to launching, as the Wonder Lake Marine Patrol will be keeping an eye on things.

4. Around 9:30 pm on July 10th, a boater managed to ignore the warning signs and buoys upstream of the Stratton Dam on the Fox River and drove their boat over the 6.5-foot-high spillway. Fortunately, there were only minor injuries. A similar event on the 22-foot-high Wonder Lake spillway may not have the same outcome. As always, all boaters are encouraged to stay a minimum of 50 feet away from the dam spillway area.

5. Similarly, as the summer boating season continues, it’s important for boaters to also operate their watercraft in a manner that does not contribute to shoreline erosion or damage to docks. It is also important to highlight two types of warning buoys installed by the MPOA.

NO-BOATS

There are two (2) areas of Wonder Lake that are designated as “NO-BOATS” due to the narrowness of the channel found at these locations. NO-BOATS includes ANY motorized watercraft, including jet-skis.

MPOA NO- BOATS Buoys are placed at either end of the channel between:

  • The small wooded island and the Shore Hills Subdivision Beach, and
  • Yacht Club Island and the shore of White Oaks Bay Subdivision (<< New in 2023)

No-Boats areas are patrolled by the Wonder Lake Police Department to ensure safe boating and have the authority to issue citations for violations.

NO-WAKE AREAS

A no-wake area is a designated location within the lake with a strict speed limit, requiring watercraft to observe the slowest-possible vessel speed to maintain steerage and not produce a wake; generally, no greater than 5 miles per hour. MPOA No-Wake Buoys designate the following no-wake areas:

  • White Oaks Bay (commonly known as Swim Bay) (Party Bay),
  • Channel between the islands and shoal of O’Brien Shoals and the shore of Deep Springs Woods,
  • The shore of Deep Springs Woods and Deep Springs Woods Country Club, and
  • The entire South end of the lake.

No-Wake areas are patrolled by the Wonder Lake Police Department to ensure safe boating and have the authority to issue citations for violations.

6. Finally, some general boating safety tips are provided.

Boating safety: wear life vests, operate sober, know markers and buoys, be aware of traffic, swimmers, jet skis, etc.

2023