Waldo Lake. From the Oregon Department of State Lands.
The Oregon State Marine Board makes it official. Gas powered boat motors will be banned from Waldo Lake. The new rule was approved today at the board’s meeting in Portland.
The rule bans all gas powered motors and floatplanes from the lake, except for emergencies. Electric motors are still okay to use.
News about the vote began spreading like wildfire across social media, starting with a Facebook notification and Tweet from Oregon Wild.
Conservation groups have championed the cause, in part because of the unique nature of Waldo Lake. It sits more than a mile high in the Cascades of eastern Lane County. The lake is prized for its unusually clear waters.
The rule is designed, in part, to protect the lake from further pollution and to create a quiet area for kayakers and canoeists.
It’s also nearly 6,300 acres in size, and the vote today by the Marine board makes it the largest “motor free” lake in the state.
But the controversy has divided Oregon’s greater outdoor community. Boat lovers are unhappy about losing motorized access to such a pristine area, and say complaints about pollution from gas motors were exaggerated.
