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City Ordinances

Many cities within the county have adopted specific ordinances to regulate the use of the lakes within their boundaries. We have gathered as much information as possible and listed it below. Since this is a compilation of information from other sources, the Water Patrol is not responsible for its accuracy.

Click on the city below to see if their are any ordinances, of which you should be aware. Some may be links to the city's web site while other information may be from  the DNR's "Minnesota Lake and Rivers Restrictions" publication, dated August 2005.

This list may not be complete. We urge you to contact the city directly to see if there have been any changes on the lake you want to use. 

The Minnesota DNR has information for lakes in other counties.

Bloomington

All lakes and rivers (including Minnesota River), Bush Lake (27-47), Penn Lake (27-4) & Normandale Lake

  • 8 mph from sunrise to sunset.

  • 5 mph from sunset to sunrise.

  • 6 horsepower limit on all waters except Minnesota River.

  • Boats must stay 150 feet from swim area.

  • No inflatable devices.

  • No scuba diving in waters within a park without a permit.

  • Motors greater than 6hp may be attached as long they are not used on city lakes.

Brooklyn Center

Incorporates Minnesota State Statutes. No additional information available

Brooklyn Park

Shingle Creek
  • No motorboats.

Champlin

There are special regulations about launching boats from Mississippi Point Park. Click here for full details of the ordinance.

Corcoran

Incorporates Minnesota State Statutes. No additional information available

Crystal

Incorporates Minnesota State Statutes. No additional information available

Dayton

French Lake (27-127)

  • No watercraft on lake from Jan. 1 through June 14 each year.

  • No motorboats except those powered by electric motors, not to exceed 45 lbs. of thrust, and operated by persons with a handicap.

Deephaven

Incorporates LMCD Ordinances

Eden Prairie

Eden Prairie has specific regulations regarding lake use within the city. Click here for details on general lake use and on rules specific to individual lakes starting on page 42 of the downloaded document. There is also information available on lake quality and general lake information.

 
Anderson Lake (27-62)
  • No motorboats allowed.
Bryant Lake (27-67)

  • 15 mph noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

  • Observer required for water-skiing.
Duck Lake (27-69)
  • No motors allowed.
Mitchell Lake (27-70)
  • 10 horsepower limit. 
Red Rock Lake (27-76)
  • 10 horsepower limit. 
Smetana Lake
  • Electric motors only on the entire lake. 
Riley Lake (10-2)

  • Slow-no wake speed 150 feet out from Riley Lake Park (800 feet in length).

  • Designated water ski launch area.

Round Lake (27-71)

  • Electric motors only.

  • Excursion boats owned and operated by the city are exempt.

Edina

All lakes

No mechanically propelled watercraft.

Excelsior

Incorporates LMCD Ordinances

Golden Valley

Incorporates Minnesota State Statutes. No additional information available

Greenfield

Lake Sarah (27-191)

  • Slow-no speed at all times in the channel between the two halves of the lake.

  • Slow-no wake speed on the entire lake when the water level reaches 981.1 feet and remains there for at least 3 consecutive days

Hanover

1100.19.   CROW RIVER NO WAKE ZONE 

 The entire Crow River within the City limits of the City of Hanover is hereby designated a no wake zone.  No watercraft shall be operated in a no wake zone in such a manner as to create a wake.  For purposes of this paragraph, watercraft shall mean any contrivance used or designated for navigation on water.

Hopkins

Incorporates Minnesota State Statutes. No additional information available

Independence

Lake Sarah (27-191)

  • Slow-no speed at all times in the channel between the two halves of the lake.

  • Slow-no wake speed on the entire lake when the water level reaches 981.1 feet and remains there for at least 3 consecutive days
Lake Independence (27-176)

  • Slow-no wake speed within 250’ of shore, whenever water level reaches 957.8 feet for a period of 3 consecutive days or more.

Long Lake

Long Lake (27-160)

  • 40 mph from sunrise to sunset.

  • 15 mph from sunset to sunrise.

  • Slow-no wake speed within 150 feet of swimmers, anchored or moored rafts or watercraft, shoreline or docks.

  • Personal Watercraft:

  1. no operation from 6 p.m. to 8 ; (State law supersedes - statewide starting time is 9:30am)

  2. no wake jumping within 100 feet of another watercraft, including another personal watercraft. (State law supersedes ordinance – distance is now within 150 feet of another craft)

Loretto

Incorporates Minnesota State Statutes. No additional information available.

Maple Grove

 

Cedar Island Lake (27-119), Eagle Lake (27-111), Edward Lake (27-121), Fish Lake (27-118), Pike Lake (27-111 same as Eagle Lake), Rice Lake (27-116), Weaver Lake (27-117)

 

  • Restricts docks, mooring and other structures. Call city.

  • Permit required for placement of water obstacles.

  • Slow-no wake zone 100 feet from moored or anchored watercraft, person in water or on shore.

  • 40 mph on ALL LAKES sunrise to sunset.

  • 15 mph sunset to sunrise.

  • Exceptions:

  • -15 mph at all times on Edward Lake, Pike Lake, Fish Lake's southwest bay, Mariner Point Channel, and Rice Lake west of Interstate 94;

  1. slow-no wake speed in designated areas, including channel between Eagle and Pike Lakes;

  2. slow-no wake speed on all of Fish Lake from sunset to 9 a.m.;

  3. slow-no wake speed 24 hours a day when lake levels exceed 892.0 feet.

  • Counterclockwise travel on Fish & Weaver Lake, except under certain provisions.

  • Restricts overnight docking of watercraft.

Maple Plain

Incorporates Minnesota State Statutes. No additional information available.

Medicine Lake, City of

Medicine Lake

 

  • High water ordinance when water level exceeds 889.4 feet for at least three consecutive days until water level recedes below 889.4 feet for at least three consecutive days.

Medina

Lake Sarah (27-191)

  • Slow-no speed at all times in the channel between the two halves of the lake.

  • Slow-no wake speed on the entire lake when the water level reaches 981.1 feet and remains there for at least 3 consecutive days

Holy Name Lake (27-158)

  • Electric motors and steam engines only

Mooney Lake (27-134)

  • 5 horsepower limit.

  • No motorboats from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Minneapolis

All Lakes

  • 8 mph on lakes.

  • 2 mph in channels.

  • Electric motors only.

  • Permits required for boat and motor.

  • No boats on water from midnight to sunrise.

  • Age restrictions for boat operation.
Mississippi River

  • Slow-no wake speed on the Mississippi River from the Plymouth Avenue Bridge at River Mile 855.0 to the railroad bridge just upstream from the Washington Avenue bridge at River Mile 853.0.

  • 40 mph sunrise to sunset;

  • 20 mph sunset to sunrise the following day, from the head of commercial navigation at River Mile 857.6 to the Plymouth Avenue bridge at River Mile 855.0;

  • 20 mph from the railroad bridge at River Mile 853.0 to the railroad bridge just upstream from the Lake Street bridge at River Mile 850.3.

Minnetonka, City of

All lakes and rivers Shady Oak Lake (27-89), Spring Lake ( ), Holiday Lake (27-90 ), Lone Lake (27- 94), Windsor (27-82), Minnetoga (27-88), Glen (27-93), Libbs Lake (27-85), Grays Bay (27-133 ), Lake Rose (27-92), Wing Lake (27-91), Mud Lake (27-88)

  • No docks or other structures that affect navigation.

  • Electric motors only.

  • Exceptions:

  1. Gray’s Bay;

  2. Libb's Lake;

  3. Shady Oak Lake;

  4. Minnehaha Creek from Gray’s Bay to the railroad right-of-way (830 feet west of County Road 73);

  5. the northerly extension of Atwater Street to the City of St. Louis Park boundary.

  • 25 horsepower limit for Shady Oak Lake.

  • No water skiing on Libb's Lake and Shady Oak Lake.

  • No swimming in the channel that divides Shady Oak Lake.

  • No swimming in the channel from Libb's Lake to Gray's Bay.
Lake Minnetonka

Minnetonka Beach

Incorporates LMCD Ordinances

Minnetrista

Ox Yoke Lake (27-178)
  • 5 horsepower limit.
Little Long Lake (27-179)
  • 10 horsepower limit.
Lake Minnetonka

Mound

Incorporates LMCD Ordinances for Lake Minnetonka. Read about Harbor Limits and Commercial Boat Operations.

New Hope

Incorporates Minnesota State Statutes. No additional information available.

Orono

Long Lake (27-160)

  • 40 mph from sunrise to sunset.

  • 15 mph from sunset to sunrise.

  • Slow-no wake speed within 150 feet of swimmers, anchored or moored rafts or watercraft, shoreline or docks.

  • Personal Watercraft:

  1. no operation from 6 p.m. to 8 am; (State law supersedes - statewide starting time is 9:30am)

  2. no wake jumping within 100 feet of another watercraft, including another personal watercraft. (State law supersedes ordinance – distance is now within 150 feet of another craft)
Lake Minnetonka

Mooney Lake (27-134) 

  • 5 horsepower limit.

  • No motorboats from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Osseo

Incorporates Minnesota State Statutes. No additional information available.

Plymouth

Medicine Lake

  • High water ordinance when water level exceeds 889.4 feet for at least three consecutive days until water level recedes below 889.4 feet for at least three consecutive days.

Pike Lake (27-111 same as Eagle Lake)

  • 15 mph at all times.
Hadley Lake (27-109)
  • No motorboats.
Lost Lake (27-103)

  • 5 horsepower limit.

  • No motorboats from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
Mooney Lake (27-134)

  • 5 horsepower limit.

  • No motorboats from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Richfield

Richfield Lake (27-21), Wood Lake (27-26), Legion Lake (27-24), Mother Lake (27-23)

  • Restricts swimming.

  • No boating on any body of water in the city.

  • No ice fishing.

  • No snowmobiling.

Robbinsdale

Twin Lake (27-42)
  • Slow-no wake speed when traveling to and from Upper and Middle Twin Lake from noon to 6 p.m.
Crystal Lake (27-34)

  • Water skiing permitted from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

  • No motorized watercraft from one hour after sunset to sunrise the following day.

Ryan Lake (27-50)

  • Water skiing permitted from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

  • No motorized watercraft from one hour after sunset to sunrise the following day.
Lower Twin Lake (27-42)

  • No motorboats on Lower Twin Lake from noon to 6 p.m. on any day, unless traveling to and from Upper and Middle Twin Lake at a slow-no wake speed.

  • No motorboats on Lower Twin Lake from sunset to sunrise the following day.

Rockford

Incorporates Minnesota State Statutes. No additional information available.

Rogers

Incorporates Minnesota State Statutes. No additional information available.

St. Anthony

Incorporates Minnesota State Statutes. No additional information available.

St. Bonifacius

Incorporates LMCD Ordinances for Lake Minnetonka and Minnesota State Statutes. No additional information available.

St. Louis Park

Incorporates Minnesota State Statutes. No additional information available.

Shorewood

All lakes and rivers: Lake Como (27-145), Christmas Lake (27-137) (part), Mary Lake (27-143), Lake Linden (27-143) & Lake Virginia (10-15) (part), Christmas Lake (27-137)

  • A 15-year-old required for persons less than 15 to operate motorboats of 10 horsepower or more.

  • Life jackets required for skier.

  • No more than 2 skiers.

  • No skiing from one-half hour after sunset to sunrise.

  • 85 foot maximum tow rope.

  • No skiing within 150 feet of others swimming, boating, diving flags, etc.

  • Observer of at least 12 required when water skiing.

  • No skiing or swimming in marked channels.
Lake Minnetonka

Spring Park

Incorporates LMCD Ordinances

Tonka Bay

Incorporates LMCD Ordinances

Wayzata

Incorporates LMCD Ordinances

Woodland

Incorporates LMCD Ordinances

   
 
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