Illegal use of hydraulic jets may result in a citation, restoration order or both from a state conservation officer.
Hydraulic jet brand name examples include:
- HydroSweep Pro
- Aqua Thruster
- Aquasweep
- Aqua Blaster
Hydraulic jets can cause problems. Use caution when thinking about purchasing one of these devices, sometimes advertised to blast away debris from a shoreline. It is illegal to move sediment or uproot aquatic plants with hydraulic jets.
These devices can stir up the lake bottom and reduce water clarity. Turbid, muddy water harms fish and creates a nuisance for people using the lake, so leave lake bottoms intact.
Problems for fish
A stirred-up lake bottom can cause nearby fish to abandon nesting areas, leaving eggs vulnerable to being eaten. Sediment covers fish eggs, reducing hatching success and making it more difficult for fish to find prey. Re-suspended sediment ultimately can cause fish to abandon otherwise acceptable habitat.
Impacts to water clarity
Cloudy, turbid water reduces everyone's enjoyment of the lake. Wind and waves can move sediments re-suspended by these devices to shoreline areas located down wind.
Aquatic plants
These devices can uproot aquatic plants that stabilize the lake bottom, protect shorelines from erosion, provide nursery habitat for young fish and ambush cover for game species. When aquatic plants are removed to provide property owner access they must be removed in a way that does not create a problem for shoreline property owners or other people using the lake.
More information
Contact your local aquatic habitat specialist or area hydrologist for information on legal methods for aquatic plant management, learn the aquatic plant regulations or call DNR Fisheries at 651-259-5221, or the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157.