No-wake order lifted for Silver Lake in Belmont

BELMONT — Marine Patrol officers have lifted the no-wake order at Silver Lake, now that the water level has dropped below 467 feet above sea level.

The gauge at the Silver Lake Station has been monitored since the order went into effect on May 30, urging boaters across the state to be aware of their wakes, and use caution when navigating in channels and near the shore.

No-wake orders come under state law, through a chapter on supervision of navigation, registration of boats and motors, and common carriers by water. The chapter covers speed limits, penalties and operating restrictions, and rules pertaining to water bodies, and there is a particular section designated for Silver Lake in Belmont

“We are constantly working on maintaining those water levels and ensuring that peoples’ properties are protected, but we also have to keep a regular flow coming out of the Big Lake,” said Jim Martin, public information officer for the state Department of Environmental Services, in an interview last month. “It is a balancing act that the dam bureau staff pays close attention to.”

— Staff report