Posted: Fri, 25 May 2012 02:36 PM - 16,780 Readers

By: Josh Hinkle

Memorial Day weekend is almost here, and our area lakes will no doubt be packed. Some, like Lake Austin, have people concerned about what the crowd could be hurting.

Every time a boat passes by on the lake, it makes big waves that crash onto shore. Little by little, the water is chipping away at the soil and rock.

It is one of the reasons the city council will consider an ordinance to create the Lake Austin Task Force. There were two resolutions back in 2010 to make a regulatory group like this, but the city never took action.

Thursday's proposal does have some traction, because it already has the support of three council members. But not every boater wants to slow down.

"As long as they're not hurting anyone else, I think it's OK,"” said J.P. Gips as he unloaded his speed boat into the water.

He and his financee, Colleen Hippe, met on the University of Texas water ski team. Boating is something they love to do together.

"We just brought the boat back out of storage, so we're happy to have the boat back up here so we can use it on Lake Austin,” said Hippe.

Some of the ideas thrown out to cut down on waves include:

Navigation control zones and buoys
Limiting the number or type or watercraft or maybe limits on certain days and times Also, using structures to break up the waves before the hit the shore