KENT, Conn.—Residents were disgruntled last Friday evening, June 27, after turning out en masse for a town meeting to vote on an ordinance banning wake boating on Lake Waramaug.
The meeting was adjourned after only minutes because the assembly room had exceeded its legal capacity.
The selectmen promised at the end of Friday’s truncated meeting to reschedule it at a larger venue.
It is on the agenda for the Wednesday, July 2, afternoon’s selectmen’s meeting. They will discuss a new date and location, and perhaps whether to go to referendum.
The ordinance, which has been discussed for years, was recently endorsed by the Lake Warmaug Authority and the Kent Selectmen scheduled a public hearing and a town meeting.
The other towns bordering the lake, Warren and Washington, must pass identical ordinances for it to take effect.
At issue is the potential for environmental damage to the lake from the large wakes created by the boats for the pleasure of surfers. Neighboring landowners cite damage to their shorelines, seawalls and docks, while the Lake Waramaug Authority and the Lake Waramaug Task Force fear deeper damage to the lake from the disturbance of the water’s stratification by the downwash from the propellers.
Waramaug was a deeply distressed lake by the 1970s and has been rescued from eutrophication by a sophisticated aeration system that keep nutrient-heavy water at the bottom while aerating the upper reaches of the lake. It is feared that the propwash will moil those layers, allowing phosphorous to be released to stimulate algae blooms.
The ordinance would prohibit wake boats from using ballast tanks or other wave enhancing devices.
Others are concerned about the safety of other lake users, who access it in smaller vessels or who swim.
The issue is hotly contested with advocates of the sport asserting that there is no definitive science about potential environmental damage. They suggest a buffer zone for other, quieter lake uses to prevent accidents.
A social media and sign campaign was launched last week in advance of the June 27 town meeting suggesting that banning wake boats could lead to a total ban of motor-powered watercraft.
