Effects of boats using ballast on Freshwater lakes

Hello,
I have to write a semester long paper on an environmental topic of my choice. I was thinking about the effects of boats using ballast for recreation's effects on freshwater lakes. However this topic may be hard to find peer reviewed academic articles. If anyone knows any papers or studies on shoreline erosion or anything else related to recreational water sports please let me know.

If you type "boat wake and erosion" into google, not only will it tell you the "and" is unnecessary, but it will also yield a lot:
http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&q=boat+wake+and+eros ion&btnG=Google+Search

You might want to broaden your topic to cover the impacts of recreational boats on erosion and not limit it to the effect of ballast in boats, although you could cover the ballast as a section of the paper.

how about this adrian... stop being a f'en p*ssy writing papers about nonsense! Do it on noise polution so we can get that guy outlawed from our lake for good, or make a really strong case against tubers in your ski cove... or jet skiers... or how global warming is totally bogus, don't write a thesis about the downfalls of wakeboarding! How about the trucking industry/pollution that goes along with it/costs/depleating non-renewable resources/volume of traffic/roads that need to be built and maintained/traffic patterns... make a case for rail infrastructure and why it needs to come back

Tell us how you really feel Delta...j/k. Couldnt agree with you more. Tons of other topics to write about.

Quagga Mussels being moved from one lake to another via the ballast...

Couple of questions for Dave real quick. I don't own ballast tanks, nor have i ever used them, but don't you empty the water back into the lake you got it from? And secondly, I'm not sure if Quagga mussels are small enough to get in a ballast tank in the first place.

I really like that third idea. broadening your topic is the first thing you should think about.

Wes, the water is emptied back into the lake, but that isn't what the problem is that he is addressing I don't think. He is talking about the effects that the larger wake from the ballast has on shoreline erosion as opposed to a normal wake or "no wake" situations. Many lakes, especially up here in the Wisconsin, have very strict "no wake" rules in place for certain areas of the lake because the erosion is so bad. Also, just because a mature mussel may not fit through an intake for a ballast, that doesn't mean that an immature one wouldn't.

why would you be on "wake" world asking for info about how to write an essay to give negative info about wakeboarding... go to "ski" world. i hope nobody helps this guy

Wes must own a Tige...

Wes, the mussels are definitely small enough at the start of life and will live in water that is residing in the ballast tank.

Dan, everyone knows that Tige's don't need ballasts.. I don't need it j/k

Hey Adrian, I think your essay would be best served with visual aids. Preferably if you purchase some of my "Lead Wake" bags (see attached). I not sure, but I really don't think that the thousand pounds (or in some or our cases, few thousand pounds) really makes that much difference in the overall displacement of the lake's water level. Especially enough to cause erosion. In fact, I think that most of our lakes (at least in California) could really use some elevation. Take it for what it's worth, just a suggestion. Thanks (don't forget the lead wake bags).

Tige delivers their boats with mussels already enclosed in ballast tanks!!

Article on SacBee.com

_____________________________________________
Officials warn boaters of mussel threat
By Niesha Lofing - nlofing@sacbee.com
Published 7:46 am PDT Thursday, August 28, 2008

Print | E-Mail | Comments (0)|

Planning a boating outing this holiday weekend? State officials are asking that you don't move a mussel.

Boaters are asked to clean, drain and dry their boats before heading to waterways and lakes over Labor Day weekend in an attempt to prevent the spread of harmful Quagga and Zebra mussels.

State border inspectors also will be checking for the invasive mussels on watercraft entering the state, according to the California Farm Bureau Federation.

Quagga mussels were first found in the Colorado River system in January 2007 and later were found in San Diego and Riverside counties. Zebra mussels were found in a San Benito County reservoir in January 2008, states a Department of Fish and Game news release.

The destructive mussels can attach to and damage boat trailers, cooling systems, boat hulls and steering equipment and can be transported and spread to other bodies of water. Water in boat engines and other parts of the craft also can carry mussel larvae - called veligers - which can spread into waterways and lakes, the release states.

State law makes it illegal to possess or transport either of the mollusks and gives Fish and Game, state Department of Food and Agriculture and state parks officials authority to search and quarantine boats with suspected or confirmed mussel contamination.

The mussels can severely damage boats by ruining engines, increasing drag, jamming steering equipment and damaging hulls.

Boaters are asked to inspect all exposed boat surfaces, wash boat hulls thoroughly, remove plants from boat and trailer, drain all water, dry livewells and bait buckets and throw bait fish in the trash. All watercraft should be dried for at least five days between launches in different fresh bodies of water, the release states.

State officials also suggest that boaters plan for possible launch restrictions and inspections and should contact officials at their waterway or lake destination before leaving home.

Potentially contaminated watercraft could be turned away, the release states.

Quagga mussels arrived in the U.S. from Ukraine in 1989. The mussel, typically the size of a fingernail but able to grow to about two inches long, can colonize on hard and soft surfaces in freshwater from the surface to depths of more than 400 feet, according to Department of Fish and Game statistics.

Zebra mussels arrived in the U.S. from Europe one year earlier. The mussels are the same size as Quagga mussels and have the same growth potential, but can inhabit fresh water at depths from four to 180 feet and prefer hard surfaces.

Boaters or other people involved in lake or water activity who want more information about the invasive mussels may call (866) 440-9530.

For more information on the mussels or prevention efforts, go to www.dfg.ca.gov/invasive/quaggamussel.

Headhunter, might want to retract that statement. slander $.02

Tige delivers their boats with muscles already enclosed in the ballast tanks! Just a spelling error!

Why are several of you just assuming that his paper will shed a negative light on wakeboarding(assuming he is not trying to make it negative)? I didnt read it that way at all. I cannot even remember how many times I have seen topics pop up with research demonstrating that boats wakes, even wakeboats loaded down do not have near the negative impact as nature, i.e. storms, wind, rain...etc. Give him a break. Sure there are other topics, but this has his interest, so why not help him, if you have the expertise or resources available, that do not cast a shadow over wakeboarding or recreation using vessels on the water. Perhaps with the proper research, he may conclude that boats are not the environmental disaster that many claim they are. Just a thought.

yo jason your a herb s my d homo, just trying to get some suggestions. I am clearly not against putting ballast in boats it would be quite hipocritical of me. Thanks to everyone else for comments i think i am going to broaden the subject to the transfer for invasive species.

Much better but believe what hh99 said. he is trying to be funny and slandering companies. Setting himself up for a law suit IMO.

Adrain

Here is just one reason why wakeboarders should support USA Wakeboard and USA Waterski.

http://www.usawaterski.org/pages/waterways.htm

Ops, I meant to say don't believe what hh99 said.

I vote you turn it around and write your paper on the environmental impact of college campuses, making the argument that lecture halls and classrooms are not worth the environmental impact they create unless they're used to teach you the practical skills you'll need in your future career.

(Message edited by Monkey on August 28, 2008)

And college is too expensive. Great idea Tim...

transfer of invasive species sounds good...

Shawn we're buds, I was just givin him some sh*t.

BTW dron... you were right, ollie backside is easy... gonna get those back 1s soon kid! Come home and ride, Sals boat was epic last night with the 440s and one of my 250s(200 or so) up front... ridin dirty son!