It's been a dry, hot summer so far across the Northland which has caused abnormally dry to drought conditions across the area. With more hot weather expected to close out the month of July, related issues are likely to remain if not worsen. One such issue created by these conditions is launching boats into area lakes.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports that getting boats into or out of the water at public boat launches has been an issue for a lot of people. They say when water levels drop during extended dry periods, like we've been experiencing, the concrete ramps at boat launches may no longer reach all the way into the water and hazards such as prop-wash holes can become more problematic.