It is the intent of this division to provide free access to
Whitewater and Rice Lakes for all users and further provide safe and
healthful conditions for the enjoyment of aquatic recreation consistent
with public needs and the capacity of the water resource. To this
end, the Towns of Whitewater and Richmond set forth the additional
provisions set out in this division.
A.
This division shall apply to the waters of Rice Lake and Whitewater
Lake lying within the corporate limits of the Towns of Whitewater
and Richmond. The provisions of this division shall be enforced under
the jurisdiction of the towns.
B.
Officers patrolling the waters may stop and board any boat for the
purpose of enforcing §§ 30.50 to 30.80, Wis. Stats.,
and for conducting search and rescue operations, if the officers have
reasonable cause to believe there is a violation of the sections,
rules or ordinances or the stopping and boarding of any boat is essential
to conduct a search and rescue operation.
A.
A traffic lane is hereby established embracing the surface of Rice
and Whitewater Lakes, Walworth County, Wisconsin, in their entirety,
excepting therefrom that portion of the waters thereof lying between
the shoreline and a line parallel to 150 feet distant from the shoreline,
and excepting therefrom the northwest, northeast and southwest bays.
These exceptions are designated "slow-no-wake" areas. All channels
shall be deemed "slow-no-wake" areas.
B.
No pier shall extend further into the lakes from the shoreline than
50 feet; no raft shall be anchored or moored where it extends into
a traffic lane; no private buoy shall be located in a traffic lane;
and no boat shall be moored where it can drift into a traffic lane.
All provisions of this section shall be consistent with § 30.13,
Wis. Stats.
A.
Prohibited at certain times; exceptions.
(1)
Except as provided in Subsection A(2) of this section, no person shall operate a boat for the purpose of towing a water skier or engage in water skiing except between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., or sunset, whichever is earlier, Friday, Saturday, holidays, and the day preceding a holiday. Water skiing and boat wakes are permitted Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to sunset, except if one of these days would be a legal holiday or the day preceding a holiday.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
B.
Careful and prudent operation. A person operating a motorboat having
in tow a person on water skis, aquaplane or similar device shall operate
such a boat in a careful and prudent manner and at a reasonable distance
from persons and property so as not to endanger the life or property
of any person.
C.
Restriction. No boat towing persons engaged in water skiing, aquaplaning
or similar activity on any lake shall engage in such activity within
100 feet of any occupied anchored boat or marked swimming area or
public boat landing except where pickup and dropoff are established
and marked with regulatory markers.
D.
Tow lines. There shall be no more than two tow lines and only two
persons using the tow lines as a means of water skiing or similar
sport. The persons being towed must be equipped with a Coast Guard
approved personal flotation device. No tow line shall exceed 75 feet
in length.
E.
Observance of rules. Any boat engaged in towing a person or water
skis, aquaplane or similar device must conform to all sections of
this division and, in addition, must operate in a counterclockwise
pattern on both lakes and inlet and outlet in the traffic lane.
F.
Towed or untowed flight banned. No water skier behind any boat will
be permitted to be lifted into the air by any means, including parasailing,
hang gliding or other means, whether the tow remains in place or not
after the skier is aloft.
G.
Authority to conduct tournaments. To become duly authorized to conduct
water ski tournaments, competitions, exhibitions or trials, the applicant
must do the following:
(1)
Appear before the Town Boards of Richmond and Whitewater with a practice
and show schedule and present a plan with all dates and times, including
the length of each event, before the start of the season or not less
than 30 days in advance of a single event. Both town boards will be
required to approve and authorize any practice and show schedule.
(2)
Have a parking plan as to handle the parking of vehicles of the event
participants and the spectators.
(3)
Have a commitment from an insurance company for liability insurance
that indemnifies and holds harmless the Towns of Richmond and Whitewater
in an amount as directed by each Board.
(4)
Have in place a representative living in Walworth County who can
be contacted at any time during the water ski season regarding any
problems by either the Town of Whitewater or Richmond, as related
to water ski tournaments, competitions, exhibitions or trials, parking,
insurance, zoning, noise or the equipment used in that activity. The
applicant shall also present a listing of the names, addresses and
phone numbers of all officers or managers of the organization that
is applying to conduct water ski tournaments, competitions, exhibitions
or trial.
(5)
At the appearance before the Town Boards, the applicant for authorization
should be prepared to answer questions related to the zoning of the
property that is proposed for the water ski tournaments, competitions,
exhibitions or trials, and have in writing a signed document from
any landowner where the event is proposed stating that they have authorized
the use of the property for that purpose. The Board may direct that
authorization be obtained from adjacent landowners before the event
is authorized.
(6)
The authorization granted by the Towns for water ski tournaments,
competitions, exhibitions or trials is conditional upon performance
of all items as stated above and additional conditions as may be imposed
by each Board, and is not a license.
A.
All boats shall operate at a slow-no-wake speed after 7:00 p.m. or
sunset, whichever is earlier, on Fridays, Saturdays, holidays and
the day preceding a holiday to 9:00 a.m. the following day. All other
days water skiing will be permitted from 9:00 a.m. until sunset. The
maximum speed outside the traffic lane shall be "slow-no-wake" at
all times every day of the week.
B.
The provisions in Subsection A shall not apply to boats participating in duly authorized races, water ski tournaments or exhibitions, or over a course laid out, plainly marked and adequately patrolled.
C.
In the event the water level on Whitewater Lake exceeds an elevation
of 892.56 feet above sea level, which is the same as 1.60 feet on
the ruler bolted to the left upstream wall of the dam at the northerly
end of Whitewater Lake, or in the event of a catastrophe, disaster,
riot or civil commotion upon the waters of either Whitewater or Rice
Lake, which impairs transportation, medical services, fire, health
or police protection on the waters, either the Town Chairperson of
the Town of Whitewater or the Town Board of the Town of Whitewater
can declare an emergency and impose upon the entire body or bodies
of waters of either Whitewater or Rice Lakes a "slow-no-wake" speed
restriction on watercraft operating on the waters of the lake or lakes
to last until the waters recede below 1.60 feet on the ruler or until
the particular emergency situation is resolved.
D.
On top of this dam there is a Wisconsin Railroad Commission metal
circular bench mark, set at 895.63 feet above sea level. The top of
the ruler bolted to the left upstream wall of the dam is 1.33 feet
below the bench mark; 1.60 feet on the ruler is 1.74 feet below the
top of the ruler.
E.
"Slow-no-wake" is the speed at which a boat moves as slowly as possible
while still maintaining steerage control.
F.
The slow-no-wake restriction will be posted at all public watercraft
access locations on Whitewater and Rice Lakes when in effect.
A.
Swimming from boats prohibited. No person shall swim from any boat
unless such boat is anchored and unless the swimmers stay within 25
feet of the boat. Boats used as bases for swimmers shall be adequately
supplied with Coast Guard approved flotation devices to be used in
emergencies.
B.
No person shall swim more than 150 feet from the shore, nor shall
any person do any distance swimming unless he or she is accompanied
by a boat containing a ring buoy or Coast Guard approved personal
flotation device and person trained in lifesaving technique. For this
type of swimming, if there be more than one swimmer, each shall be
accompanied by a boat. No person shall swim in a traffic lane from
sunset to sunrise.
[Amended 7-9-2022 by Ord.
No. 07-13-2022]
No aircraft of any kind capable of landing on water shall land,
take off, or be berthed on the frozen or unfrozen surface of the waters
covered by this division, except for the temporary purpose of an emergency
landing.
No person, firm or corporation shall dock or moor any boat on
the waters or along the shores of Rice and Whitewater Lakes for the
purpose of living, sleeping or camping.
A.
No person, persons or corporations shall organize or participate
in any event or display upon the surface of Whitewater or Rice Lake
without first obtaining a permit for such activity from the town board
of the town in which the activity shall be held.
B.
Request for a permit for organized events or displays shall be presented
to the town board in triplicate before the second Monday of the month
preceding the event.
C.
Request for a permit shall describe the event, time of the event,
and area of the lake to be used.
D.
Upon action by the proper town board, one copy of the permit shall
be returned to the applicant, and one copy is to be retained by the
town clerk.
E.
It is unlawful for any person or persons, during an organized event
or display approved by either of the town boards, to anchor any boat
within the designated area for the organized event or to in any way
interfere with the participants or the organized event in any manner.
In addition to the foregoing, the following rules shall apply
to boats using the waters of Rice and Whitewater Lakes:
A.
Mooring lights required. No person shall moor or anchor any boat, raft, buoy or other floating object or permit it to drift in the traffic lane described in § 30-58 between sunset and sunrise unless there is prominently displayed thereon a white light of sufficient size and brightness to be visible from any direction 360° for a distance of one mile on a dark night with clear atmosphere. This subsection does not apply to duly authorized water ski tournaments, competition exhibits, or displays or trials thereof where adequate lighting is provided.
B.
The drivers or operators of all boats by means of which aquaplanes,
water skis or similar objects are being towed and the riders of such
aquaplanes, water skis or similar objects must conform to the same
rules and clearances as provided for in this division.
[Amended 7-9-2022 by Ord.
No. 07-13-2022]
