Patrolling the Pond
By Mike Miller, VP Lake Lotawana Homeowners Association
August 17, 2026
Triple threat. Rules on Towing You Need to Know.
As we roll through August and a late Labor Day weekend, there is still plenty of time to make the most of being on the water. Labor Day is just around the corner! This year is unique in that we still have a full pool level of water when typically a dry summer would park some boats in shallower coves on docks until the fall rains. It’s been a rainy, wet summer. This year, many coves have vegetation issues that limit boat access to the main body and affect swimming for some. It’s one of the unfortunate twists that nature can send from time to time. Many variables affect vegetation growth and overgrowth, including really clear water from zebra mussels that allows sun to reach the bottom and fuel vegetation growth, silty bottoms, shallower coves, and water with nutrients that make it like Miracle-Gro.
The HOA has sent several updates, so no need to duplicate those here. It’s hard for Patrolling the Pond to ignore the issue, but there are other places to read and receive regular updates. I recommend staying current and reading everything that is sent so you have a clear understanding of the issue and what is planned. One brief update I will share is that the pilot program of contracting another mechanical removal method to provide access is underway. We will evaluate the service by the end of this week to determine if it’s effective and worth trying it on a broader basis for the rest of this season and/or put the service into our contingency and budget planning for 2027. The early reports are encouraging. We will continue to evaluate it, and I will provide an update in the next issue of Patrolling the Pond.
Moving on to rules you need to know moving into the rest of the season.
TUBING AND “SKIER” RULES: Three rules you need to know.
I receive regular updates from Jen Stafford, Head of the Water Patrol team, on what is happening with enforcing our rules on the lake. Of note, there were almost EIGHT violations in the last month of more than TWO tubers on a tube or being pulled behind a watercraft. The rules say “skiers,” but quite frankly, only about 15% of people getting towed are skiers. “Skier” = Tuber, Wakeboarder, or anything else that is pulled behind a boat. Most are tubers. So, if you didn’t know, ONLY TWO PEOPLE at one time ARE TO BE TOWED BY YOUR BOAT. Why two? Because of the size of our lake, traffic on the lake, and the wide turns that pontoons need to make when someone hits the water. TWO is the maximum number of people that can safely be towed. As you know, we lower that to ONE PERSON behind a watercraft on Holiday Weekends like the upcoming Labor Day weekend. Why is this such an issue right now?
EIGHT! That is the number of times Jen and her staff pulled over watercraft pulling MORE THAN TWO Tubers in the last 30 days. So what is the rule? Here you go:
ART III, Section N, Part 4, subsection b: MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SKIERS (Same as Tubers, Wake Boarders, or anyone being towed behind watercraft). No person shall operate a watercraft while pulling more than 2 water skiers (tubers) either separately or together on the same device at the same time. (3 points).
While I am on the topic, I should mention that pulling skiers, tubers, wakeboarders, or anything in or into a cove is not allowed. (6 points). This means you should not even drift into a cove with a rope connected to a tube. Be especially careful at the NEW and temporary NO WAKE Zone between S and H block on the northwest part of the lake. A lot of boats are starting to anchor there, and NO WAKE rules apply. Finally, don’t forget your flag! It should be visible at all times when you are towing (see rules on page 19-20 in Section III, Section N, Part 2, subsection a for more details) and taken down when you are finished towing.
You may have purchased one of those fancy tubes that holds 3-6 people, seen it on YouTube, or have friends at the Ozarks tubing where there are no limits. Or maybe you were inspired by the Lotawana Days Ski Show and thought, “I can do that too but with peeps on a tube.” Sorry. No go. Stick to TWO behind your boat (with a spotter of course). LABOR DAY WEEKEND (starts at 7 pm Friday): only ONE PERSON behind a watercraft every day of the weekend, be they a skier, tuber, or wakeboarder.
Kids from Kansas are already in school. Missouri starts next week. Lake traffic will begin to slow with a blip over Labor Day. Then, my favorite month at the lake….September. Warm weather, crowds are gone, warm water, and the occasional chill in the air in the evening that reminds you that fall is waiting in the wings. It will be here sooner than you think. Until next time, see you on the Pond.
SAFER SEVEN is taking the week off. Stay tuned for some more fun in the Labor Day issue.