ST. PAUL, Minn. – The state Natural Resources Department asked boaters to crank their boats off and onto trailers because “power loading” is damaging ramps in this summer ow low water. Concrete ramps at boat launches no longer reach all the way into the water, so prop-digs holes. The result: Other boaters are more likely to back their trailers into a prop-wash holes. “It can be pretty difficult to get a trailer unstuck from a hole like that,” said Nancy Stewart, a water recreation consultant at the agency. Also, she said, there’s often a mound of material just beyond the prop-wash hole that boats may straddle and get grounded before finding deeper water.” The hazard has come from extraordinary low river and lake levels due to drought.
DNR boat loading tips
> Check the firmness of the gravel at the ramp’s end also the water depth.
> Consider an alternative access site if the water is too low.
> Watch for obstructions like large boulders or tree stumps.
> Expect delays at ramps because boaters are having difficulty launching.