Kent selectmen wade into wake surfing discussion

KENT — The fate of wake surfing on Lake Waramaug remains unclear, as a recent discussion at the Board of Selectmen’s March 5 regular meeting saw continued public disagreement over how to address the impacts of large-wake boats on the lake.

Modern wake surfing is a fairly new sport in New England, having only been popularized in the past decade or so. When wake surfing, participants attempt to surf a powerful boat’s wake at low speed with the goal being to ride the wave unassisted by a rope. Newer boats designed for wake surfing have large tanks in the stern that fill up to create weight, thus displacing water and creating a taller, stronger wave.

The meeting saw Keith Angell, chairman of advocacy nonprofit Lake Waramaug Friends, summarize a recent report the organization had commissioned to review a recently-completed controversial study contracted by the three municipalities in which the lake lies – Washington, Warren and Kent.

The review, which was conducted by South Carolina-based firm Water Environment Consultants, questioned several facets of the 2024 study by infrastructure security and environmental services company Terra Vigilis.

The third-party review critiqued several key recommendations for lake safety and health published in the study. For example, Terra Vigilis suggested that wake surf boats remain 500 feet from shore while operating in surf mode. The review noted that this number was largely unexplained, which was unusual considering most guidance across the country requires a 100- or 200-foot buffer rather than 500.

Angell acknowledged that the topic was sensitive to residents with close ties to the lake on both sides: “I want to recognize that this is an emotional issue,” he said to the Board. Angell explained that he has had “60 plus years playing in the lake,” and directs Lake Waramaug Friends with the intention of maintaining recreational enjoyment of the lake in a sustainable and responsible way.

During the public comment period, residents pushed back, with several alleging that wake surf boats may not be suitable for Lake Waramaug at all. Lakeside homeowner Bruce Birenboim, who has been vocal at past meetings in other towns, noted that the Water Environment Consultants report does not contradict a primary finding of the Terra Vigilis study that boats in surf mode produce a strong downwash that reaches up to 26 feet in depth.

Lifelong Lake Waramaug resident Jim Hicks expressed concern that downwash could disturb potentially dangerous substances on the lake floor. The poor water quality of the lake decades ago surfaced in several residents’ testimonials, with Hicks recounting that he was “honestly allergic to the lake” in the 1980s. He credited the work of residents and the Lake Waramaug Task Force, a nonprofit focused on protecting the lake’s ecology, in ensuring the nutrients that caused the harmful algal blooms of that period have remained trapped at the lake bottom.

“What we need is an acceptance that these machines are not good for the lake,” he asserted.

First Selectman Marty Lindenmayer emphasized that there are no regulations on wake surf boats currently in discussion. “The idea of getting together and finding the best way to move forward in a reasoned approach is what we all want to do,” he said.

Angell agreed, noting the difficulty of navigating the interests of recreators, who have purchased homes and boats with the expectation of access to the lake, alongside concerns over safety and ecology. “It’s a tricky dribble, as they say.”

“We all need to work together on this,” said Hicks. “That’s the way it should be.”