No-wake zone proposed on Upper Priest

COOLIN — A move is afoot to restore some of the tranquility to Upper Priest Lake by designating the body of water a no-wake zone.

The Bonner County Waterways Advisory Board is seeking the public’s input on the proposal during its monthly meeting in Coolin on Thursday, Sept. 16. The meeting starts at 9 a.m. in the Coolin Groomer/Fire building at 4677 Dickensheet Road.

“They wanted to have a meeting up there to get as many people involved to see how people feel about it,” said Leslie Marshall, the county’s waterways supervisor.

The waterways board makes recommendations to the county commission on local boating regulations. If the no-wake regulation finds political support, county commissioners would conduct a formal public hearing on the rule.

The upper lake is connected to Priest Lake by a 3-mile channel known as the Thorofare, which has a no-wake requirement, although some complain it is poorly enforced. Water skiing on Upper Priest is also prohibited, but the somewhat dated ordinance makes no mention of wakeboarding or pulling inflatable towables.

It would not be the first lake in Bonner County to have a blanket no-wake rule. Only electric motors are allowed on Shepherd and Kelso lakes. Gamlin Lake, meanwhile, limits internal combustion engines to 10 horsepower, said Bonner County Sheriff Marine Patrol Lt. Cary Kelly. However, those rules were established by the Idaho Department of Fish & Game.

There have been efforts over the years to outlaw gas-powered engines on Upper Priest Lake to cut down on noise, limit the spread of aquatic invasive species and curb shoreline erosion. But those efforts have run into stiff opposition from motor boat owners and commercial interests on the lake.

Marshall said the proposal before the county does not involve a prohibition on motorized vessels, although some of the no-wake supporters wish it did.

The only terrestrial route to the 1,300-acre upper lake is by foot, which makes it a prime destination for hikers, campers and berry pickers who are seeking solitude. Boaters, whether motorized or not, also frequent Upper Priest for the same reasons, especially on crowded summer weekends.

The no-wake proposal is supported strongly by the Selkirk Conservation Alliance, whose members contend the racket associated with powerboats and personal watercraft running at speed shatters the peace and quiet of Upper Priest.