land owner keeping water open

Is it legal for a land owner to put aerators in the lake to keep an area in front of his shore line open from freezing? The reason I am asking is it creates a soft spot and when the sun/wind hit it it could easily expand and effect other spots on the lake.

I've seen it on Lake Minocqua already and they have signs out saying caution, thin ice, aerator, that sort of thing. They do it so they don't have to take out their docks, so the ice does not wreck them.