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This website publishes administrative rules on their effective dates, as designated by the adopting state agencies, colleges, and universities.

Chapter 1501:31-5 | Watercraft

 
 
 
Rule
Rule 1501:31-5-01 | Anchoring, docking, mooring, beaching watercraft; wildlife areas.
 

(A) Under the authority of section 1531.06 of the Revised Code and after compliance with Chapter 1547. of the Revised Code, the chief of the division of wildlife orders that:

(B) It shall be unlawful for any person to use a watercraft mooring or tie-up stake on any property administered or controlled by the division of wildlife without first having complied with the requirements of rule 1501:31-9-06 of the Administrative Code ("User fee schedule").

(C) It shall be unlawful for any person to anchor, dock, moor, beach, or tie up any watercraft or leave any watercraft unattended for a period in excess of eight consecutive hours on the Resthaven wildlife area, Margaretta township, Erie county, Ohio.

(D) Watercraft, except watercraft occupied continuously by persons fishing or hunting rails, gallinules, or waterfowl shall not be anchored, docked, moored, beached, tied up or left unattended by any person on any land or water area of the division of wildlife for a period of time in excess of four hours unless such watercraft is anchored, docked, moored, beached, or tied up at a division-designated public docking area.

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to anchor, dock, moor, beach, tie up or leave unattended for a period in excess of forty-eight hours, more than one watercraft on any lake administered or controlled by the wildlife division except as herein provided.

(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to dock, moor, tie up, leave unattended, or control more than one watercraft at a wildlife division public docking area.

(3) The provisions of this rule and provisions in rule 1501:31-5-02 of the Administrative Code shall not apply to concessionaires properly licensed by the department of natural resources, to rent watercraft to the public, or watercraft owned by any division within the department of natural resources, or watercraft owned by any agency of the federal government or any political subdivision.

(4) It shall be unlawful for any person to anchor, dock, moor, beach, or tie up any watercraft at a division-designated public docking area from December first to March first of the following year excepting therefrom, waterfowl hunters having a tie-up permit may use such areas during the waterfowl season.

(5) It shall be unlawful for any person to anchor, dock, moor, beach, or tie up any watercraft to any designated division public docking area when such watercraft is not properly licensed or marked as required in Chapter 1547. of the Revised Code.

(E) Public boat docking areas are designated by signs and may be extended by the chief of the division at any time. Such areas are hereby established on the following water areas:

Oxbow lake, Defiance county; Zepernick lake, Columbiana county; Aquilla lake, Geauga county; Knox lake, Knox county; Veto lake, Washington county; Monroe lake, Monroe county; Zoar lake, Tuscarawas county; Clouse lake, Perry county; Grant lake, Brown county; Spring valley lake, Warren county; Clark lake, Clark county; Tycoon lake, Gallia county; Shreve lake, Wayne county; Ross lake, Ross county; Fox lake, Athens county; Highlandtown lake, Columbiana county; Rush Run lake, Preble county; Spencer lake, Medina county.

(F) It shall be unlawful for any person to dock, moor, or tie up any watercraft at the division of wildlife dock at the state fish hatchery on South Bass island, Put-In-Bay township, Ottawa county, Ohio unless such person has official business at the state fish hatchery.

(G) It shall be unlawful for any person to anchor, beach, tie up or leave any watercraft unattended in the Metzger marsh boat launching channel, for a period in excess of four consecutive hours.

(H) For the benefit of rules in the Administrative Code, "watercraft" means any contrivance used for navigation on water which is capable of carrying a passenger.

(I) All definitions set forth in rule 1501:31-1-02 of the Administrative Code apply to this rule.

Last updated January 3, 2023 at 9:36 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 1531.06
Amplifies: 1531.06
Five Year Review Date: 1/1/2028
Prior Effective Dates: 6/1/1985
Rule 1501:31-5-02 | Use of outboard motors and power boats on wildlife areas.
 

Under authority of section 1531.06 of the Revised Code and after compliance with Chapter 1547. of the Revised Code, the chief of the division of wildlife orders that:

(A) No person shall operate (start/run) or permit to be operated a motor, other than an electric motor, to propel a vessel on water areas on the following state-owned or on controlled areas, or on water areas managed under agreement by the division of wildlife.

Barnesville reservoir #2Belmont county
Barnesville reservoir #3Belmont county
Barnesville reservoir #4Belmont county
Belmont lakeBelmont county
Big island wildlife areaMarion county
Circleville canalPickaway county
Cooper hollow wildlife areaJackson county
Darke wildlife areaDarke county
Delaware wildlife areaDelaware, Morrow, and Marion counties
Deer creek lakeStark county
Deer creek wildlife areaPickaway, Madison and Fayette counties
Grand river wildlife areaTrumbull county
Hammertown lake wildlife area (Jackson city reservoir)Jackson county
Hebron canalLicking and Fairfield counties
Indian creek wildlife areaBrown county
Ismond pondColumbiana county
Lake VesuviusLawrence county
Miller Blue holeSandusky county
New Lexington City reservoirPerry county
Oberlin reservoirLorain county
Oldaker pond wildlife areaHighland county
Orwell pond wildlife areaAshtabula county
Ottoville quarry wildlife areaPutnam county
Pleasant valley wildlife areaRoss county
Ruff pond wildlife areaColumbiana county
Spring valley wildlife areaWarren county
Timbre Ridge lakeLawrence county
Tranquility wildlife areaAdams county
Wallace H. O'Dowd wildlife areaAthens county
Walhonding canalCoshocton county
Waterloo wildlife areaAthens county
Wellington reservoirLorain county
Wolf creek wildlife areaMorgan county
Woodbury wildlife areaCoshocton county

(B) No person shall operate (start/run) or permit to be operated a motor, or combination of motors, exceeding a horsepower rating in excess of ten horsepower on the waters of Appalachian Hills wildlife area in Morgan, Muskingum and Noble counties, Greenfield lake wildlife area in Fairfield county, Jesse Owens wildlife area in Morgan County, Kokosing lake in Knox county, Rush creek reservoir in Fairfield and Perry counties, Veto lake in Washington county, Rockmill lake wildlife area in Fairfield county, Clouse lake in Perry county, Fox lake in Athens county, Monroe lake in Monroe county, Clark lake in Clark county, Grant lake in Brown county, Rush Run lake in Preble county, Jockey Hollow wildlife area ponds in Harrison county, Zepernick lake wildlife area in Columbiana county, and Highlandtown lake wildlife area in Columbiana county.

(C) No person shall operate (start/run) or permit to be operated a motor, or combination of motors, exceeding a horsepower rating of ten horsepower on Knox lake in Knox county, and Rupert lake in Vinton county unless motors in excess of ten horsepower are operated at idle speed and do not create a wake.

(D) No person shall operate (start/run), or permit to be operated any powercraft on any water area on Aldrich pond wildlife area in Sandusky county, Aquilla lake wildlife area in Geauga county, La Su An wildlife area Williams county, Fallsville wildlife area in Highland county, Fulton ponds wildlife area in Fulton county, Killdeer Plains wildlife area in Wyandot county, New Lyme lake in Ashtabula county, Oxbow lake wildlife area in Defiance county, Resthaven wildlife area in Erie county, Ross lake wildlife area in Ross county, St. Joseph river wildlife area in Williams county, Shreve lake in Wayne county, Spencer lake in Medina county, Tycoon lake wildlife area in Gallia county, Wayne R. Carr lake in Paulding county, and Wingfoot lake in Portage county, unless the powercraft is operated at idle speed and does not create a wake.

(E) No person shall operate (start/run) or permit to be operated an electric motor exceeding four horsepower to propel a vessel on or within any water area owned or controlled by the division of wildlife.

(F) No person shall operate (start/run) or permit to be operated a motor, or combination of motors, exceeding a horsepower rating in excess of ten horsepower on any body of water on the American electric power recreation area.

(G) Vessels with higher horsepower motors may be present on the waters listed in this rule provided they comply with paragraphs (A), (B), (C), (D) (E) and (F) of this rule.

(H) No person shall operate (start/run), use, or permit to be operated or used, a boat on Barnesville reservoir no. 1.

(I) It shall be unlawful to operate watercraft on or within any water area owned or controlled by the division of wildlife in a manner that is not in conformity with posted regulations.

(J) All definitions set forth in rule 1501:31-1-02 of the Administrative Code apply to this rule.

Last updated January 3, 2023 at 9:36 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 1531.06
Amplifies: 1531.06
Five Year Review Date: 1/1/2028
Prior Effective Dates: 3/1/1973, 6/1/1982, 5/31/1984, 4/20/1987, 1/15/1994, 3/1/2000, 7/19/2002, 6/4/2003, 7/1/2008, 7/1/2010
Rule 1501:31-5-03 | Regulations prescribed for the use of watercraft on Berlin reservoir, situated in the counties of Mahoning, Portage and Stark.
 

(A) The water of Berlin reservoir shall have five designated areas:

(1) All the waters lying between U.S. route 224 and the dam shall be designated as area one.

(2) All the waters lying between U.S. route 224 and the "N.Y.C. Railroad" bridge shall be designated as area two.

(3) All the waters lying between the "N.Y.C. Railroad" bridge and state route 14 shall be designated as area three.

(4) All the waters lying between state route 14 and state route 225 shall be designated as area four.

(5) All the remaining waters not included in paragraphs (A)(1), (A)(2), (A)(3), and (A)(4) of this rule lying westward of state route 225 shall be designated as area five.

(B) In area one, no person shall:

(1) Operate or use a boat within five hundred feet of the intake tower and crest gate in the dam at Berlin reservoir.

(2) Operate (start/run) or permit to be operated a motor other than an electric motor, to propel a boat within two thousand feet of the dam at Berlin reservoir.

(3) Engage in water-skiing or aquaplaning within two thousand feet of the dam at Berlin reservoir.

(4) Operate a watercraft within one hundred fifty feet of any developed shoreline in such a manner as to cause a wake of sufficient size or force to cause discomfort, injury or damage to any person, watercraft or property.

(5) No person shall operate a vessel at greater than idle speed or at a speed that creates a wake within three hundred feet of any marina, boat docking faccility, boat gasoline dock, launch ramp, reacreational boat harbor, or harbor entrance.

(C) In area two, it shall be unlawful:

For any person to operate a watercraft within one hundred fifty feet of any undeveloped shoreline in such a manner as to cause a wake of sufficient size or force to cause discomfort, injury or damage to any person, watercraft or property.

(D) In area three, it shall be unlawful:

For any person to operate a watercraft within one hundred fifty feet of any undeveloped shoreline in such a manner as to cause a wake of sufficient size or force to cause discomfort, injury or damage to any person, watercraft or property.

(E) In area four, it shall be unlawful:

(1) For any person to operate a watercraft within one hundred fifty feet of any undeveloped shoreline in such a manner as to cause a wake of sufficient size and force to cause discomfort, injury or damage to any person, warercraft or property.

(2) For any person to operate a watercraft within the area from state route 14 to a line of buoys located at the area known as Treasure Cove in such a manner as to cause a wake of sufficient size or force to cause discomfort, injury or damage to any person, watercraft or property.

(F) In area five, it shall be unlawful:

(1) For any person to operate, be in physical control, or manipulate any water-skis, or aquaplane, or for any person to operate a watercraft towing any person using water-skis, aquaplane or similar device at any time.

(2) For any person to operate a watercraft within one hundred fifty feet of any undeveloped shoreline in such a manner as to cause a wake of sufficient size to cause discomfort, injury or damage to any person, watercraft or property.

(G) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a watercraft within one hundred feet of any bridge in such a manner as to cause a wake of sufficient size or force to cause discomfort, injury or damage to any person, water craft or property.

(H) A "wake" as used in this rule shall be defined as a track left by a watercraft in the water causing waves or swells.

(I) All definitions set forth in rule 1501:31-1-02 of the Administrative Code shall apply to this rule.

(J) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a watercraft at a speed greater than ten miles per hour from sunset to sunrise local time.

Last updated February 27, 2023 at 10:54 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By:
Amplifies:
Five Year Review Date:
Prior Effective Dates: 5/1/1976, 1/2/1981, 6/1/1985, 12/1/1989, 6/7/1993