POWERED boats can return to Lake Wendouree from today after ramp barriers were removed from around the city icon yesterday.Five years after boating activities were banned and four years after the lake was declared dry, boating activities are set to return.With the lake now at 87.9 per cent full, the Transport Safety Board has given the City of Ballarat permission to reopen the boat ramps.Mayor Judy Verlin and City of Ballarat growth and economy director Jeff Pulford removed the signs yesterday afternoon and officially reopened the facilities.Cr Verlin said the return of boats to Lake Wendouree was a significant milestone in the complete rejuvenation of the lake."With the lake water level now at 87.9 per cent full, it is wonderful to be able to reopen the boat ramps and welcome powered boats and other vessels back to Lake Wendouree," she said.Major redevelopment at the boat ramps were carried out in recent years while the lake was dry. With the rising water level at the lake, dredging of the rowing course is well under way and expected to be finished by June next year. The deepening of the rowing course by an average of 500 millimetres will allow for the lake to host national-level rowing events. One dredging unit is currently operating on the lake, while another unit is expected to begin in the next two weeks.The city council has also brought forward the weed-cutting contract and is seeking expressions of interest for suitable contractors to undertake weed harvesting on Lake Wendouree. Once an ecological assessment has been completed, the works can be carried out early next year.To provide boat users with more information, Transport Safety Victoria and the City of Ballarat will today hold a boat safety seminar, which will be held at the Robert Clark Centre in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens at 5.30pm.Members of the Transport Safety Victoria summer safety education team will also be on had at each boat ramp around Lake Wendouree tomorrow.