BOATS & WATERCRAFT

Carrying capacity within these watersheds has been an issue in resource management where environmental and ecological concerns limit the amount of human activity in any given area1. Recently, a study done on motorized recreational boats in Minnesota waters recognized careless boating practices and an increase in the presence of boats can increase wake wave characteristics which can impact the lake and environment health and safety concerns2. Wake waves are generated mainly by large vessels or watercraft vehicles within closed waterways or close to shorelines3 and can cloud water and disturb water clarity4. The increased use of powered watercraft vehicles on waterbodies can cause significant shoreline structural change due to increased events of shoreline erosion5. A study done in New Zealand indicated boat wakes have the potential to cause riverbank erosion due to releasing suspended sediments where concentrations increased between 1 and 740mg/ L in comparison to background waves which were 1 to 31 mg/ L5. Thus, with the added stressor of motorized vehicles more present in these lakes, sediment resuspension of these nutrients is a more prevalent issue that leads to high internal loading and consequently, increased eutrophic conditions.

 

Sediment resuspension, water pollution, disturbance of aquatic wildlife, destruction of aquatic plants, and shoreline erosion are huge concerns following the impacts of boats4. This is due to boat emissions and exhaust, propeller contact, turbulence, waves, noise, and movement produced by the boat4. A study consistently found significantly negative ecological impacts that affected individuals, populations, and communities due to impacts of boating and shoreline use6. The most common motorized vehicles for a recreational activity that contribute the most to disturbing the natural aquatic ecosystem habitats would be power boats, fishing boats, tourist boats, and jet skis7. Sediment resuspension and the resulting effects on nutrient regeneration, increase in turbidity near shorelines and phosphorus (P) have increased the growth of algal blooms present in lakes4. Shallower lakes which are more present in the Prairie region are most impacted by these effects where the depth of impact is dependent on boat and engine size, speed, and substrate type4. In a recent study in California, Lake Tahoe, a shallow lake, has experienced a reduction in water clarity and partly due to boating effects responsible for increasing turbidity levels8. And the frequent use of fertilizers rich in nutrients has resulted in P-enriched sediments within waterbodies. Specifically, P particulates deposited in bottom sediments that are released are most likely the cause of the production of harmful algae blooms9. With the added impact of the increase in sediment resuspension due to motorized vehicles, these waterbodies will be more susceptible to succumb to hypertrophic conditions or eutrophication.

 

INVASIVE SPECIES

In addition to shoreline effects, the increase in human recreational motorized boating activities allows for more frequency of transporting between connecting watersheds10. This can promote the unintentional release and exposure of non-native or invasive species to new aquatic ecosystems10, disrupting the natural habitat. One of the major concerns in freshwater ecosystems is the introduction of invasive species to new water bodies12. Therefore, not only can watercraft impact shorelines and cause shoreline erosion, but without proper care, can also increase the risk of unintentional dispersal of invasive or non-native species into different lakes10. For instance, a study by Kerr et al. (2005) based in Ontario, Canada discusses recreational boating as one of the ways to unintentionally introduce non-native species from one lake to another. Studies have shown that recreational boaters are one of the most common unintentional transfers of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) since these organisms attach themselves to boat hulls, motors, and/ or trailers11. A study in Switzerland discussed that the increased population of zebra mussels was due to the increased overland transport of recreational boats between different water bodies10.

 

To reduce the impacts of these issues, public outreach is crucial to educate the public about these water issues. Informing stakeholders about aquatic invasive species is highly recommended to develop stakeholder support for effective water management strategies regarding this issue. One of the ways to reduce the knowledge gap about invasive species among stakeholders is to create a questionnaire that can be used to assess base knowledge on invasive species. Being able to assess the knowledge of the public’s understanding of environmental issues can prioritize education, outreach programs, and management goals that will facilitate desired environmental behaviours12. More knowledgeable citizens and better engagement in management decisions will increase the overall health of lakes12. A study by Shaw et al. (2021) showed that engaging the public on invasive species can help prevent the spread of invasive species. Emphasis on the framing and metaphors of these issues was important to note to effectively communicate about these issues and their engagement and management strategies13 Becoming more intentional about the frameworks and metaphors used to describe these issues, can accelerate communication objectives, and help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species13.

 

Educational Links

Boating Pollution Economics and Impacts

Watching Your Wake – Federations of Ontario Cottagers’ Association 

Clean, Drain, and Dry Your Boats to Prevent Invasive Species! (Video Credit: SaskEnvironment)

Boating Effects on Aquatic Ecosystems Package (Video Credit: Operation W.A.T.E.R.)

References

  1. Jaakson, R., Buszynski, M. D., & Botting, D. (1976). Carrying capacity and lake recreation planning: A case study from North-Central Saskatchewan, Canada. The Town Planning Review, 47(4), 359-373.
  2. Marr, J., Riesgraf, A., Herb, W., Lueker, M., Kozarek, J., & Hill, K. (2022). A Field Study of Maximum Wave Height, Total Wave Energy, and Maximum Wave Power Produced by Four Recreational Boats on a Freshwater Lake. St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, Healthy Waters Initiative.
  3. Cox, G. L., & Macfarlane, G. (2019). The effects of boat waves on sheltered waterways–thirty years of continuous study. In Proceedings of Australasian Coasts & Ports Conference 2019 (pp. 1-7). Engineers Australia.
  4. Asplund, T. R. (2000). The effects of motorized watercraft on aquatic ecosystems. Wisconsin: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
  5. McConchie, J. A., & Toleman, I. E. J. (2003). Boat wakes as a cause of riverbank erosion: a case study from the Waikato River, New Zealand. Journal of Hydrology (New Zealand), 163-179.
  6. Schafft, M., Wegner, B., Meyer, N., Wolter, C., & Arlinghaus, R. (2021). Ecological impacts of water-based recreational activities on freshwater ecosystems: a global meta-analysis. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 288(1959), 20211623.
  7. Dokulil, M. T. (2014). Environmental impacts of tourism on lakes. In Eutrophication: causes, consequences and control. Springer, Dordrecht (pp. 81-88).
  8. Valbuena, S. A., Bombardelli, F. A., & Schladow, G. (2019, December). Boat Induced Sediment Resuspension and Water Clarity at Lake Tahoe. In AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts (Vol. 2019, pp. H51N-1684).
  9. Chirico, N., António, D. C., Pozzoli, L., Marinov, D., Malagó, A., Sanseverino, I., … & Lettieri, T. (2020). Cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Varese: analysis and characterization over ten years of observations. Water, 12(3), 675.
  10. De Ventura, L., Weissert, N., Tobias, R., Kopp, K., & Jokela, J. (2016). Overland transport of recreational boats as a spreading vector of zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha. Biological Invasions, 18(5), 1451-1466.
  11. Kerr, S. J., Brousseau, C. S., & Muschett, M. (2005). Invasive aquatic species in Ontario: a review and analysis of potential pathways for introduction. Fisheries, 30(7), 21-30.
  12. Nanayakkara, L., Jurdi-Hage, R., Leavitt, P. R., & Wissel, B. (2018). In lakes but not in minds: stakeholder knowledge of invasive species in prairie lakes. Biological invasions, 20(3), 633-652.
  13. Shaw, B., Campbell, T., & Radler, B. T. (2021). Testing emphasis message frames and metaphors on social media to engage boaters to learn about preventing the spread of zebra mussels. Environmental Management, 68(6), 824-834.

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