State commission opts for citizen group on Church Slough wakes
Jack Carroll, left, and Josh Mortenson head out onto Church Slough to fish for bass in anticipation of an upcoming local bass fishing tournament on Wednesday, May 5, 2021. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake FILE)
The state Fish and Wildlife Commission on Friday stalled its vote on a proposed yearlong wake ban for Church Slough in favor of developing a citizen’s group to suss out a solution.
A firm date for the commission to reconsider the proposed wake ban was not set during the meeting. Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials previously called the no-wake proposal a “social issue” of no great further impact to wildlife or resources in the area.
The agency did suggest keeping current seasonal closures impacting Church Slough.
That namely is an annual closure to boating on the entire slough from March 1 through April 10 to protect migrating waterfowl.
The closure resulted from a petition that had also asked the commission to impose a no-wake rule for the slough from April 11 to Feb. 28 to reduce bank erosion and boating hazards.
The commission, however, decided that wake enforcement for safety reasons was not supported for current use levels of the slough.
It deemed erosion issues unfounded.
A second petition surfaced last October requesting the year round no-wake rule. It was submitted by Ben and Maureen Louden, and Melanie Cross and Andy Hurst.
Their concerns centered on public health and safety; shoreline and river bottom degradation; fish and wildlife habitat losses; noise disturbing other users and residents; and chemical toxins released from boating, according to the agenda materials.
A pair of residents for a no-wake zone and a pair against it spoke during public comment.
Petitioner Ben Louden said he’s lived near the slough for more than 70 years, noting very little erosion occurred in the past. Now, he said, land and vegetation are being swept down the river.
“We need a no-wake zone,” Louden said. “It’s not sustainable the way it is.”
Don Collins, president of the Montana Bass Federation, said in opposing a wake ban: “The river giveth, and the river taketh away,” countering complaints on bank erosion.
If one remains concerned about land loss, he said, one should not live next to a river.
Reporter John McLaughlin can be reached at 758-4439 or jmclaughlin@dailyinterlake.com