Quote:
Originally Posted by lawn psycho
Given the amount of wind generated waves versus boat wakes over the course of every year, I'd speculate that boat wake induced erosion is not a primary concern for the majority of the lake. The lake has been around longer than any of us and the shores are not crumbling into the water.
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As I watch my beach erode, my speculation is that boat wake is much more damaging than the wind. A south-east wind brings me the biggest natural waves, which definitely cause erosion. Waves wash up on the grass and flow back into the lake. But, boat wake is more agitative. It reminds me of the churn of a washing machine. The erosion takes place in both directions - as the wave comes in and as it goes back out. The current shorelines have been eroding since the government raised the lake in the 1800's, but the last 30 years of increasing boat traffic and displacement weight has been a significant factor too. The worst problem is the flooding, caused by the dam policy and downstream constraints. A secondary factor is climate change, which has us in a rainy period at the moment. We can't control the wind, the downstream constraints or the climate, but restricting boats while the lake is high is something that can be done and will help.