Water Use and Safety Regulations

Sand Lake Water Safety Regulations

Sand Lake is a beautiful natural resource and is for everyone to enjoy. Please be courteous and respectful of others. If you have guests or loan or rent out your house or cabin, please make sure your company knows the rules and safety issues on our lake. For further information and additional details, see “The Handbook of Wisconsin Boating Laws and Responsibilities.”

Sand Lake Township has an ordinance regarding water ski hours: Water Ski and Jet Ski hours are 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. 

• These hours include jet skis, wave runners, and/or any water craft pulling a tube type object.

• Click HERE to view the Town of Sand Lake Ordinance No. 5 that covers these rules and hours.

Wisconsin Boating Laws and Rules

Motorboats                                                             Personal Watercraft (PWC)

1) A person under age 10 may not operate                  1) A person under age 12 may not operate a PWC

a motorboat                                                          a PWC

2) A person between 10 and 15 years of age               2) A person over 12 years old may operate a PWC

may operate a motor only under certain                       only if he or she has completed a boating safety course.

    conditions.                                                                  A person born after January 1, 1989 is exempt from the safety

4) A person at least 16 years old may operate a                   course requirement.

motorboat only after completing a boating                     

   safety course. A person born before January 1,                  

   1989, is exempt from the safety course requirement.

Vessel Capacity

All vessels have a designated capacity for number of persons.  Persons being towed on water skis or tubes must be considered as part of the total vessel capacity.

Unlawful Operation:  In Wisconsin, it is illegal to:

• Operate a vessel at greater than “slow, no wake speed” within 100 feet of the shoreline, any dock, raft, pier, or restricted area.

• Operate a vessel repeatedly in a circuitous manner within 200 feet of another vessel or person in the water.

• Operate a vessel at greater than “slow, no wake speed” within 100 feet of a swimmer, unless the vessel is assisting the swimmer.

• Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC) at greater than “slow, no wake speed” within:  100 feet of any other vessel on any waterbody, 200 feet of shore on any lake, 100 feet of a dock, pier, raft, or restricted area on any lake.

• Operate a motorboat, PWC, or use water skis, a surfboard, or other device if he or she: 

  • • Is under the influence of an intoxicant or a controlled substance, or

    • Has a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or greater.

Aquatic Invasive Species: 

• Inspect your vessel, trailer, and equipment, drain all water, and remove any attached plants and animals before launching and before leaving the area and traveling on a public highway.

Fishing regulations:

Please check for any specific fishing regulations on Sand Lake (Sawyer County).  This applies to numbers of fish by species that you can keep, minimum size per species, trolling regulations etc.  See Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations 2018-2019.  (https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Fishing)

Contact Numbers:

To report a Natural Resource Violation:  Call or TEXT: 1-800-TIP-WDNR (1-800-847-9367)

For Wisconsin DNR Information: 1-888-936-7463

Sawyer County Sheriff Dispatch:  715-634-5213