No wakes on St. Michael’s Beebe Lake

While the warm weather has been a blessing for residents along Beebe Lake, it hasn’t been quite enough to evaporate the record amount of water being held by the city’s lone recreational lake.

With record rains falling Saturday morning and more rain in the forecast Tuesday night (which did, in fact fall), the City of St. Michael enacted a temporary 5 mph no wake zone along the lake.

“It’s been a record year for the lake, and we’re just in a spot now where we can’t keep up with simply pumping the water out into Mud Lake,” said City Engineer Steve Bot. “This is something we had to do to preserve the shoreline for the homes on the lake.”

According to the ordinance, the emergency no wake zone will be in effect until Labor Day, Sept. 5.

“I can certainly see it going beyond that,” Bot said. “I think we’ll be back here again, unless there’s a really long stretch of dry weather.”

The way this summer has gone, that’s highly unlikely, the council responded.

According to the ordinance, boats may travel no faster than 5 mph within 300 feet of the existing shoreline on the lake. Once out into the center of the lake, away from shore, the boats can move faster.

The no wake rule will be enforced as long as Beebe Lake is above 968.1 feet (above sea level) for three or more consecutive days. It’s been at least three feet higher than the DNR recommended level since June.

The temporary ordinance was created in conjunction with Wright County, who helps manage the recreation area of the lake. The county had worked with the city to establish temporary, five-day no wake periods. This extended period is a first.

“You have to do something,” said administrator Bob Derus. “The water’s just so high.”

It’s not a problem isolated to St. Michael.

The Wright County Board of Commissioners also enacted a temporary no wake zone for several lakes in Wright County. Boats are prohibited from traveling faster than slow, no wake for the entire surface area of the following lakes in Wright County; Albion, Augusta, Bass, Caroline, Clearwater, East and West Lake Sylvia, Henshaw, Locke, Louisa, Marie, Mill Pond, Nixon, Pleasant, Swartout and Sugar. 

On Cedar Lake in Corinna Township, The slow no wake zone is only in effect within 300 feet of shoreline.

The Sheriff's Office will be posting no wake notices at effected public accesses in Wright County and intends on having an increased presence on the lakes while this ordinance is in effect. The Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's cooperation in complying with the County Commissioners' ordinance.

You may click here to read the ordinance in its entirety.