Updated August 2026
Wakesurfing on Jamesville Reservoir
Depth unrated · Room Limited · limited data
About the water
Jamesville Reservoir covers roughly 252 acres, giving it room for a wake-boat setup when conditions cooperate. Public access varies — confirm a launch before you go. New York sets statewide wakesurf rules, and individual lakes often add no-wake zones, hours, or horsepower limits — check the New York rules page and the local ordinance before launching.
New York wake-sport rules
New York has no statewide wakesurfing-specific law. State law limits vessels to 5 mph (no wake) within 100 feet of shore, docks, piers, rafts, floats or anchored boats. Many individual lakes adopt stricter towed-watersports setbacks (e.g., Friends Lake and others require 200 feet from shoreline/docks for wakesurfing/wakeboarding), so wake-surf limits are effectively local.
This rating classifies measured depth and surface area against published wake-sport guidance. It is not a safety clearance and not permission to ride: local no-wake zones, hours, and horsepower limits are set by the county, lake district, or land manager, and they take precedence. Lake measurements from New York State DEC.
Where to stay near Jamesville Reservoir
Top-rated places to stay near Jamesville Reservoir
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Jamesville Reservoir rates Limited for wakesurf suitability. Shallow or small for wake sports — ride with extra care and a wide setback. The rating is based on its measured surface area of 252 acres. This is a read of the water's dimensions, not legal permission — check the New York rules and the local authority for this lake before you launch.
No maximum-depth measurement is on record for Jamesville Reservoir in the state agency data we use, so its depth factor is unrated. We do not estimate depth.
Jamesville Reservoir is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar, from EPA and state monitoring of nutrients and algae. Water clarity is shown on the lake page; it is not the letter. That is a separate question from wakesurf suitability: a lake can be excellent to ride and mediocre to swim in, or the reverse. See the full lake page for the grade breakdown.
New York has no statewide wakesurfing-specific law. State law limits vessels to 5 mph (no wake) within 100 feet of shore, docks, piers, rafts, floats or anchored boats. Many individual lakes adopt stricter towed-watersports setbacks (e.g., Friends Lake and others require 200 feet from shoreline/docks for wakesurfing/wakeboarding), so wake-surf limits are effectively local. Individual lakes often add stricter local limits on top of the statewide rule — no-wake zones, operating hours, and horsepower caps are all common — so confirm with the local authority for Jamesville Reservoir.
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