Lake Levels and Slow-No-Wake Restrictions

Chisago County Water Monitoring Video

Join Chisago Lakes Lake Improvement District and county Water Resources staff for a day of lake monitoring in the Chisago Lakes Chain of Lakes watershed.  

Visit the Lower St. Croix Partners website where Susanna, Water Resources Manager with Chisago County, demonstrates how to record lake level readings and check zebra mussel monitoring plates.   County Watercraft Inspectors show how they work with boaters to inspect and decontaminate watercraft and prevent aquatic invasive species from coming into area lakes.  

To view the Chisago County Water Monitoring video, visit Lower St. Croix Watershed Partnership - Virtual Project Tour website or Day of Lake Monitoring with Chisago County (YouTube).

Lake Levels

Lake levels fluctuate, primarily in response to changes in precipitation (rain and snow). Fluctuations of lake levels are important to document. Chisago County staff and volunteers regularly monitor lake levels in the Chisago Lakes Lake Improvement District and Chisago countywide.

Lakes that exceed the Ordinary High Water Level (OHW) are subject to the Chisago County Slow No-Wake Ordinance Restrictions (PDF), which temporarily restricts boat speeds within 300 feet of shore during high water conditions.  There is also permanent low boat speeds in many channels connecting lakes under the Slow No-Wake Ordinance (PDF).

The Slow-No-Wake ordinance Buoy and Sign Placement Policy (PDF) and Buoy and Sign Placement Maps (PDF) show where the signs and buoys are placed to mark the channels as identified in the ordinance.  

OHW is an elevation delineating the highest water level that has been maintained for a sufficient period of time to leave evidence upon the landscape, commonly the point where the natural vegetation changes from predominantly aquatic to predominantly terrestrial.  Please visit the MN Department of Natural Resources website for more information regarding OHW.  

Please visit the MN Department of Natural Resources website for more information regarding fluctuating lake levels.