The Landing
In the Spring of 2025, we began accepting memberships for the White Sand Lake Association Landing. To participate in the landing program, you must be a member of the White Sand Lake Association and a riparian property owner on White Sand Lake.
Participants are required to sign a Participation Agreement and will receive Membership Instructions upon enrollment.
With the water levels lower than ever, removing your boat from the lake may be difficult. This is happening on neighboring lakes also – not just WSL.
Our best advice is to use the extension trailer. This will preserve the condition of the landing, prevent any vehicles from getting stuck and to keep you safe & dry.
Moving the extension trailer into position by hand may require a bit more time and effort, but this will keep the landing slots on time and will maintain safety at the landing.
September Federal Court Update
On August 31, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin issued a preliminary injunction barring tribal officials from enforcing tribal ordinances against the White Sand Lake Association’s boat landing and staying the related proceedings in Lac du Flambeau Tribal Court, pending final resolution of the case. Association members can now resume use of the landing under the Vilas County zoning permit obtained in April 2025 and the standing Association rules governing use of the landing.
The Court determined that under longstanding federal law the Tribe had not demonstrated that it had the authority to regulate the Association’s construction or use of the landing. As the Court put it:
“Specifically, under well-established U.S. Supreme Court precedent, the Band lacks authority to regulate plaintiffs’ boat launch project… [O]n the current record, defendants have wholly failed to show that the Association’s single boat launch would exacerbate the Eurasian watermilfoil problem to such an extent that it could imperil the Band’s political integrity, economic security, health or welfare such that its regulation is necessary to avert catastrophe.”
This is a preliminary ruling. The case continues, and the defendants may appeal the Court’s grant of the injunction.
While the Association would prefer to devote the resources being spent on this litigation to its longstanding efforts to manage invasive milfoil and protect the lake, it is compelled to defend and protect the rights of its members.
Key Court Documents available here:
The Boat Landing Committee took great care to ensure the White Sand Lake Association Landing was constructed with minimal environmental impact, in consultation with several experts and organizations.
To continue our long-standing commitment to being good stewards of the environment, all individuals interested in participating in the Association Landing are required to agree to the established usage rules.
If you did not receive an email with information on how to join, please contact us at landing@whitesandlakeldf.com.
The landing rules are meant to protect our lake. You can view the most updated rules using the link below.
Enjoy the lake and stay safe.
History of the WSLA Launch
Background
In January of 2023, the Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians (the “Tribe”) issued a resolution closing the White Sand Lake Boat Landing. The landing had been the only public access boat landing on White Sand Lake for decades.
Clean Boats, Clean Waters
The White Sand Lake Association had a long tradition of administering the Clean Boats, Clean Waters program on White Sand Lake. With the closing of the only public access boat landing, this authorization to administer this important environmental safety protection was no longer allowed.
Eurasian Water Milfoil
The previous public access landing was opened for a brief period in 2023 through a permit process. During that time, the Clean Boats, Clean Waters program was not authorized to continue, and by early August, Eurasian Water Milfoil was discovered for the first time on White Sand Lake near the landing.
The White Sand Lake Association quickly offered assistance to the Tribe to secure an Early Detection and Response grant from the DNR, however, this effort was rejected by the Tribe.
By summer of 2024, we again worked with the Tribal Natural Resources to understand the process to pull the Eurasian Water Milfoil. Thirty-seven lake association members provided 140 hours of volunteer work on “Milfoil Mondays.” The White Sand Lake Association provided $6,000 of benthic mats to suppress the EWM growth. In 2024, the Association was awarded a $34,000 grant from the Wisconsin DNR for the AIS Early Detection and Response program. We are awaiting a response from the Tribe.
Clean Boats, Clean Water
The Association expects all members of the Landing to thoroughly clean boats before launching to greatly reduce the risk of introducing an unwanted invasive species.