Chapter 1546 | Division Of Parks And Watercraft

Section 1546.01 | Definitions.

• Effective: October 24, 2024
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 156 - 135th General Assembly

As used in this chapter and Chapter 1547. of the Revised Code:

"Canoe" means a paddlecraft that is normally an open, narrow vessel of shallow draft, typically pointed at both ends and propelled by its occupants through the use of paddles while kneeling or sitting on a raised seat, including a flat-backed canoe and a racing canoe.

"Coast guard approved" means bearing an approval number assigned by the United States coast guard.

"Conditional approval" means a personal flotation device approval that has one or more conditions with which the user must comply in order for the device to be considered appropriate for meeting the requirements for personal flotation devices for the vessel on which it is being used.

"Diver's flag" means a red flag not less than one foot square having a diagonal white stripe extending from the masthead to the opposite lower corner that when displayed indicates that divers are in the water.

"Drug of abuse" has the same meaning as in section 4506.01 of the Revised Code.

"Electronic" includes electrical, digital, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, or any other form of technology that entails capabilities similar to these technologies.

"Electronic record" means a record generated, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means for use in an information system or for transmission from one information system to another.

"Electronic signature" means a signature in electronic form attached to or logically associated with an electronic record.

"Idle speed" means the slowest possible speed needed to maintain steerage or maneuverability.

"Impoundment" means the reservoir created by a dam or other artificial barrier across a watercourse that causes water to be stored deeper than and generally beyond the banks of the natural channel of the watercourse during periods of normal flow, but does not include water stored behind rock piles, rock riffle dams, and low channel dams where the depth of water is less than ten feet above the channel bottom and is essentially confined within the banks of the natural channel during periods of normal stream flow.

"Inflatable watercraft" means any vessel constructed of rubber, canvas, or other material that is designed to be inflated with any gaseous substance, constructed with two or more air cells, and operated as a vessel. An inflatable watercraft propelled by a motor is a powercraft. An inflatable watercraft propelled by a sail is a sailboat. An inflatable watercraft propelled by human muscular effort utilizing a paddle or pole is a paddlecraft. An inflatable watercraft propelled by human muscular effort utilizing an oar with the aid of a fulcrum provided by oarlocks, tholepins, crutches, or similar arrangements is a rowboat.

"In operation" in reference to a vessel means that the vessel is being navigated or otherwise used on the waters in this state.

"Kayak" means a paddlecraft that is typically pointed at both ends and is propelled by human muscular effort by one or more seated individuals who use a double-bladed paddle, including an open kayak with an open deck for operator seating, an enclosed kayak designed to enclose an occupant within a cockpit, a tandem kayak designed for multiple occupants, and a racing kayak.

"Law enforcement vessel" means any vessel used in law enforcement or under the command of a law enforcement officer.

"Muffler" means an acoustical suppression device or system that is designed and installed to abate the sound of exhaust gases emitted from an internal combustion engine and that prevents excessive or unusual noise.

"Navigable waters" means waters that come under the jurisdiction of the department of the army of the United States and any waterways within or adjacent to this state, except inland lakes having neither a navigable inlet nor outlet.

"No wake" has the same meaning as "idle speed."

"Operator" includes any person who uses, navigates, employs, or has under the person's control a vessel, or vessel and detachable motor, on the waters in this state.

"Owner" includes any person, other than a secured party, who claims lawful possession of a vessel by virtue of legal title or equitable interest therein that entitled the person to use or possess the vessel, including a person entitled to use or possess a vessel subject to a security interest in another person, but does not include a lessee under a lease not intended as a security.

"Paddlecraft" means any type of canoe, kayak, paddleboard, or other vessel powered only by its occupants using a single or double-bladed paddle as a lever without the aid of a fulcrum provided by oarlocks, tholepins, crutches, or similar mechanisms.

"Performance type" means the in-water performance classification of a personal flotation device as determined by the United States coast guard.

"Person" includes any legal entity defined as a person in section 1.59 of the Revised Code and any body politic, except the United States and this state, and includes any agent, trustee, executor, receiver, assignee, or other representative thereof.

"Personal flotation device" means a United States coast guard approved personal safety device designed to provide buoyancy to support a person in the water.

"Personal watercraft" means a vessel, less than sixteen feet in length, that is propelled by a water-jet pump or other machinery and designed to be operated by an individual sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel rather than by an individual sitting or standing inside the vessel.

"Powercraft" means any vessel propelled by machinery, fuel, rockets, or similar device.

"Rowboat" means an open vessel, other than a paddlecraft, that is designed to be rowed and that is propelled by human muscular effort by oars and upon which no mechanical propulsion device, electric motor, internal combustion engine, or sail has been affixed or is used for the operation of the vessel. "Rowboat" includes a racing shell and a rowing skull regardless of length or construction.

"Rules" means rules adopted by the chief of the division of parks and watercraft under this chapter or Chapter 1547. of the Revised Code, unless the context indicates otherwise.

"Sailboat" means any vessel, equipped with mast and sails, dependent upon the wind to propel it in the normal course of operation.

A vessel with sail as its primary method of propulsion and mechanical propulsion as its secondary method of propulsion is an auxiliary sail.

Any sailboat being propelled by mechanical power, whether under sail or not, is deemed a powercraft and subject to all laws and rules governing powercraft operation.

"Sewage" means human body wastes and the wastes from toilets and other receptacles intended to receive or retain body waste.

"Throwable personal flotation device" means a device that is intended to be thrown to a person in the water. "Throwable personal flotation device" includes a personal flotation device marked as "Type IV" or "Type V with Type IV performance." "Throwable personal flotation device" does not include a wearable personal flotation device unless it is specifically marked otherwise.

"Towed watersport" means any activity that involves being towed by or riding in the wake of a recreational vessel, including both of the following:

(1) Riding or attempting to ride on one or more water skis, a wakeboard, a surfboard, an inflatable device, or any other device manufactured or used for the purpose of being towed by a recreational vessel;

(2) Engaging or attempting to engage in barefoot skiing or parasailing.

"Type one personal flotation device" means a device that is designed to turn an unconscious person floating in water from a face downward position to a vertical or slightly face upward position and that has at least nine kilograms, approximately twenty pounds, of buoyancy.

"Type two personal flotation device" means a device that is designed to turn an unconscious person in the water from a face downward position to a vertical or slightly face upward position and that has at least seven kilograms, approximately fifteen and four-tenths pounds, of buoyancy.

"Type three personal flotation device" means a device that is designed to keep a conscious person in a vertical or slightly face upward position and that has at least seven kilograms, approximately fifteen and four-tenths pounds, of buoyancy.

"Type four personal flotation device" means a device that is designed to be thrown to a person in the water and not worn and that has at least seven and five-tenths kilograms, approximately sixteen and five-tenths pounds, of buoyancy.

"Type five personal flotation device" means a device that, unlike other personal flotation devices, has limitations on its approval by the United States coast guard, including, without limitation, any of the following:

(1) A designation that states the device is approved only for use while participating in specific activities;

(2) A designation that states the device is approved only for use by an operator or passenger of specific types of vessels;

(3) A designation that states the device is specifically approved as a substitute for the type of personal flotation device required for use while engaged in certain activities or as an operator or passenger of a vessel.

"Vessel" includes every description of craft, including nondisplacement craft, multimodal craft, and submersibles, being used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water.

"Visible" means visible on a dark night with clear atmosphere.

"Watercourse" means a substantially natural channel with recognized banks and bottom in which a flow of water occurs, with an average of at least ten feet mean surface water width and at least five miles of length.

"Watercraft" means any of the following when used or capable of being used for transportation on the water:

(1) A vessel operated by machinery either permanently or temporarily affixed;

(2) A sailboat other than a sailboard;

(3) An inflatable, manually propelled vessel that is required by federal law to have a hull identification number meeting the requirements of the United States coast guard;

(4) A canoe, kayak, pedalboat, or rowboat;

(5) Any of the following multimodal craft being operated on waters in this state:

(a) An amphibious vehicle;

(b) A submersible;

(c) An airboat or hovercraft.

(6) A vessel that has been issued a certificate of documentation with a recreational endorsement under 46 C.F.R. 67.

"Watercraft" does not include ferries as referred to in Chapter 4583. of the Revised Code.

Watercraft subject to section 1547.54 of the Revised Code are divided into five classes as follows:

Class A: Less than sixteen feet in length;

Class 1: At least sixteen feet, but less than twenty-six feet in length;

Class 2: At least twenty-six feet, but less than forty feet in length;

Class 3: At least forty feet, but less than sixty-five feet in length;

Class 4: At least sixty-five feet in length.

"Watercraft dealer" means any person who is regularly engaged in the business of manufacturing, selling, displaying, offering for sale, or dealing in vessels at an established place of business that is used primarily for the selling, displaying, offering for sale, or dealing of vessels. "Watercraft dealer" does not include a person who is a marine salvage dealer or any other person who dismantles, salvages, or rebuilds vessels using used parts.

"Waters in this state" means all streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, marshes, watercourses, waterways, and other bodies of water, natural or humanmade, that are situated wholly or partially within this state or within its jurisdiction and are used for recreational boating.

"Wearable personal flotation device" means a device that is intended to be worn or otherwise attached to a person's body. "Wearable personal flotation device" includes a personal flotation device marked as "Type I," "Type II," "Type III," "Type V with Type II performance," or "Type V with Type III performance."

Last updated August 16, 2024 at 9:57 AM

Section 1546.02 | Creation of division; duties.

• Effective: October 24, 2024
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 156 - 135th General Assembly

(A) There is hereby created in the department of natural resources the division of parks and watercraft. The division shall do all of the following:

(1) Administer and enforce all laws relative to the identification, numbering, registration, titling, use, and operation of vessels operated on the waters in this state;

(2) Promote, and educate and inform the citizens of the state about, conservation, navigation, safety practices, and the benefits of recreational boating;

(3) Provide for and assist in the development, maintenance, and operation of marine recreational facilities, docks, launching facilities, and harbors for the benefit of public navigation, recreation, or commerce if the chief of the division determines that they are in the best interests of the state;

(4) Coordinate and plan trails in accordance with section 1519.03 of the Revised Code;

(5) Administer any state or federally funded grant program that is related to natural resources and recreation as considered necessary by the director of natural resources.

(B) The division shall create, supervise, operate, protect, and maintain, and promote the use by the public of, a system of state parks. As part of that responsibility, the division shall control and manage all lands and waters dedicated and set apart for state park purposes. The division shall do all of the following regarding those lands and waters:

(1) Protect and maintain them;

(2) Make alterations and improvements;

(3) Construct and maintain dikes, wharves, landings, docks, dams, and other works;

(4) Construct and maintain roads and drives in, around, upon, and to the lands and waters to make them conveniently accessible and useful to the public.

Last updated August 16, 2024 at 9:58 AM

Section 1546.021 | Gifts, devises or bequests.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

The division of parks and watercraft may accept, receive, and expend gifts, devises, or bequests of money, lands, or other properties under the terms set forth in section 9.20 of the Revised Code.

Section 1546.03 | Chief of the division; administration of Ohio boating program.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

(A) The chief of the division of parks and watercraft shall act as a designee of the director of natural resources. The chief, with approval of the director, shall select such number of technical and administrative assistants as the chief deems necessary to assist the chief in administering the division and fix their compensation in accordance with sections 124.14, 124.15, 124.152, 124.18, and 1501.05 of the Revised Code.

The chief, with the approval of the director, shall determine policies and programs for the division.

(B) The chief may designate license agents with the approval of the director.

(C) The division is hereby designated as the agency to administer the Ohio boating safety program. The division also shall administer federal funds allocated under the "Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971," 85 Stat. 222, 46 U.S.C. 1475(a)(6), as amended. The chief shall prepare and submit reports in such form as may be required by that act.

(D) The chief may sell any of the following:

(1) Items related to or that promote boating safety, including pins, badges, books, bulletins, maps, publications, calendars, and other educational articles;

(2) Artifacts pertaining to boating;

(3) Confiscated or forfeited items;

(4) Surplus equipment.

(E) The chief may enforce any rules adopted under section 1546.04 of the Revised Code.

Section 1546.04 | Adoption of rules.

• Effective: October 24, 2024
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 156 - 135th General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in this section, the chief of the division of parks and watercraft, with the approval of the director of natural resources, shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that are necessary for the proper management of state parks, bodies of water, and the lands adjacent to them under its jurisdiction and control, including rules:

(1) Governing opening and closing times and dates of state parks;

(2) Establishing fees and charges for use of facilities in state parks;

(3) Governing camps, camping, and fees for camps and camping;

(4) Governing the application for and rental of, rental fees for, and the use of cottages;

(5) Relating to public use of state park lands, and governing the operation of motor vehicles, including speeds and parking on those lands;

(6) Governing all advertising within state parks and requirements for the operation of places selling tangible personal property and food service sales on lands and waters under the control of the division. The rules shall establish uniform requirements for those operations and sales.

(7) Providing uniform standards relating to the size, type, location, construction, and maintenance of structures and devices used for fishing or moorage of watercraft, rowboats, sailboats, and powercraft over waters under the control of the division and establishing reasonable fees for the construction of, and annual use permits for, those structures and devices;

(8) Governing state beaches, swimming, inflatable devices, and fees for them;

(9) Governing the removal and disposition of any watercraft, rowboat, sailboat, or powercraft left unattended for more than seven days on any lands or waters under the control of the division;

(10) Governing the establishment and collection of check collection charges for checks that are returned to the division or dishonored for any reason;

(11) Governing natural resources officers in all parks and bodies of water and lands adjacent to those bodies under the supervision and control of the division as are necessary to the proper management of such parks and bodies of water.

(B) The chief shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code establishing a discount program for all persons who are issued a golden buckeye card under section 173.06 of the Revised Code. The discount program shall provide a discount for all park services and rentals, but shall not provide a discount for the purchase of merchandise.

(C) The chief, with the approval of the director of natural resources, may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that establish all of the following:

(1) Requirements governing the administration of state parks;

(2) Requirements considered necessary by the chief to supplement the identification, operation, titling, use, registration, and numbering of watercraft or vessels as provided in Chapters 1547. and 1548. of the Revised Code;

(3) Requirements governing the navigation of vessels on waters in this state, including rules regarding steering and sailing, the conduct of vessels in sight of one another or in restricted visibility, lights and shapes of lights used on vessels, and sound and light signals. As the chief considers necessary, the chief shall ensure that those rules are consistent with and equivalent to the regulations and interpretive rulings governing inland waters adopted or issued under the "Inland Navigational Rules Act of 1980," 94 Stat. 3415, 33 U.S.C. 151, 1604, 1605, 1608, 2001 to 2008, and 2071 to 2073.

(4) Requirements and procedures governing vessel safety inspection checkpoints, including procedures that comply with statutory and constitutional provisions governing searches and seizures by law enforcement officers;

(5) Fees and charges for all of the following:

(a) Boating skill development classes and other educational classes;

(b) Law enforcement services provided at special events when the services are in addition to normal enforcement duties;

(c) Inspections of vessels or motors conducted under Chapter 1547. or Chapter 1548. of the Revised Code.

(D) The chief shall not adopt rules under this section establishing fees or charges for parking a motor vehicle in a state park or for admission to a state park.

Last updated August 16, 2024 at 9:58 AM

Section 1546.05 | Exemptions and discounts from certain fees and charges.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

(A) Every disabled veteran is exempt from the fees for camping established by rule. To claim this exemption, the disabled veteran shall carry in the state park such evidence of the veteran's disability as prescribed by rule.

(B) Unless otherwise provided by rule, an elderly or disabled resident shall be charged one-half of the regular fee for camping, except on the weekends and holidays designated by the division of parks and watercraft. In addition, the elderly or disabled resident shall not be charged more than ninety per cent of the regular charges for state recreational facilities, equipment, services, and food service operations utilized by the resident at any time of year, whether maintained or operated by the state or leased for operation by another entity.

(C) Any person who has been a prisoner of war, was honorably discharged from the armed forces of the United States, and is a resident of this state is exempt from the fees for camping. To claim this exemption, the person shall present written evidence in the form of a record of separation, a letter from one of the military forces of the United States, or such other evidence as the chief prescribes by rule that satisfies the eligibility criteria established by this section.

(D) As used in this section:

(1) "Disabled veteran" means either of the following:

(a) A resident of this state with a disability that has been determined by the veterans administration to be permanently and totally disabling, who receives a pension or compensation from the veterans administration, and who received an honorable discharge from the armed forces of the United States;

(b) A veteran to whom the registrar of motor vehicles has issued a set of license plates under section 4503.41 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Elderly or disabled resident" means a resident of this state who is sixty-five years of age or older or who is permanently and totally disabled and who furnishes evidence of that age or disability in a manner prescribed by rule.

(3) "Food service operations" means restaurants that are owned by the department of natural resources at Hocking Hills, Lake Hope, Malabar Farm, and Rocky Fork state parks or are part of a state park lodge. "Food service operations" does not include automatic vending machines, concession stands, or snack bars.

(4) "Prisoner of war" means any regularly appointed, enrolled, enlisted, or inducted member of the armed forces of the United States who was captured, separated, and incarcerated by an enemy of the United States.

Section 1546.06 | State park purchase areas.

• Effective: September 30, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly

The chief of the division of parks and watercraft shall prepare and submit to the director of natural resources maps and descriptions of the areas of lands and waters which the chief intends to designate as state park purchase areas. Such state park purchase areas may include lands and waters at the time belonging to the state, together with lands and waters not belonging to the state but which for reasons of protection, utilization, and administration should be subject to purchase by the state for park purposes. If such area is approved by the director of natural resources, it shall be known as a state park purchase area, and the map and description thereof, with the approval of the director of natural resources indorsed thereon, shall be filed in duplicate with the director of administrative services and the attorney general.

All moneys appropriated for the purchase of lands and waters by the state for park purposes, unless specifically appropriated for the purchase of particular tracts or areas, may be expended for the purchase of lands or waters within any legally established state park purchase area. If, after the purchase of specifically designated tracts or areas, moneys from such appropriations remain unexpended, upon the request of the director of natural resources, the controlling board shall release such funds, in whole or in part, for the purchase of lands or waters within any state park purchase area.

Last updated August 12, 2021 at 10:54 AM

Section 1546.07 | Telephone service in parks, conservancy districts, and on highways.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

The chief of the division of parks and watercraft shall have the power to contract with any telephone company, which provides telephone service in the area of which a state park is located, for the establishment or maintenance of any telephone service in any location in such state park. The board of directors of a conservancy district shall have the power to contract with any telephone company which provides telephone service in the area in which a park, parkway, forest preserve, bathing beach, playground, or other recreational facility of the conservancy district is located, for the establishment or maintenance of public telephone service in any location in such conservancy district park, parkway, forest preserve, or recreational facility. The director of transportation shall have the power to contract with any telephone company which provides telephone service in the area in which a highway right-of-way is located, for the establishment or maintenance of public telephone service in any location in a state park or on a highway right-of-way.

For purposes of this section, the chief, board, and director may agree to comply with any rules and regulations of the telephone company with respect to public telephone service contained in its schedules on file with the public utilities commission of Ohio or applied by such telephone company to others in similar locations. For the purpose of establishing or maintaining such public telephone service, the chief in state parks or the director of transportation on highway right-of-ways may grant to such telephone company, without charge, appropriate permits for right-of-way for its facilities necessary to establish and maintain such public telephone service which permits shall remain valid as long as such public telephones remain in service.

Section 1546.08 | Testing of waters adjacent to public swimming beaches for bacteria levels.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

(A) As used in this section, "public swimming beach" means land along a shoreline that is under the control of the division of parks and watercraft and is used by the public when swimming and bathing in waters adjacent to the beach.

(B) The chief of the division of parks and watercraft shall ensure that the waters of this state that are adjacent to public swimming beaches are sampled and tested in accordance with the techniques and procedures established by the director of health under section 3701.18 of the Revised Code. The department of health may assist the division in the sampling and testing of the waters.

(C) On receipt of notification by the director of health under section 3701.18 of the Revised Code that the bacteria levels in the waters tested present a possible health risk to persons using the waters for swimming and bathing and that the posting of signs advising the public of the condition is warranted, the chief shall ensure that appropriate signs are posted in appropriate locations at the affected area.

Section 1546.09 | Annual report.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

The division of parks and watercraft shall include in its annual report to the governor a statement of its action on all matters pertaining to the management and control of all state reservoirs, lakes, and lands set apart for public parks or pleasure resorts, which statement shall include a statement of the receipts and expenditures on account thereof.

Section 1546.10 | Disposal of timber, dredging operation spoils and other property.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

(A) The chief of the division of parks and watercraft, with the approval of the director of natural resources, may dispose of any of the following by sale, donation, trade, trade-in, recycling, or any other lawful means, in a manner that will benefit the division:

(1) Standing timber that as a result of wind, storm, pestilence, or any other natural occurrence may present a hazard to life or property, timber that has weakened or fallen on lands under the control and management of the division, or any timber or other forest products that require management to improve wildlife habitat, protect against wildfires, provide access to recreational facilities, implement sustainable forestry practices, or improve the safety, quality, or appearance of any state park area;

(2) Spoils of a dredging operation conducted by the division in waters under the control and management of the division. Prior to the disposition of any spoils under this division, the chief shall notify the director of environmental protection of the chief's intent so that the director may determine if the spoils constitute solid wastes or hazardous waste, as those terms are defined in section 3734.01 of the Revised Code, that must be disposed of in accordance with Chapter 3734. of the Revised Code. If the director does not notify the chief within thirty days after receiving notice of the disposition that the spoils must be disposed of in accordance with Chapter 3734. of the Revised Code, the chief may proceed with the disposition.

(3) Notwithstanding sections 125.12 to 125.14 of the Revised Code, excess supplies and surplus supplies, as those terms are defined in section 125.12 of the Revised Code;

(4) Agricultural products that are grown or raised by the division. As used in this division, "agricultural products" includes products of apiculture, animal husbandry, or poultry husbandry, field crops, fruits, and vegetables.

(5) Abandoned personal property, including golf balls that are found on property under the control and management of the division.

(B) In accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, the chief shall adopt, and may amend and rescind, such rules as are necessary to administer this section.

(C) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, proceeds from the disposition of items under this section shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the state park fund created in section 1546.21 of the Revised Code.

(D) The chief of the division of parks and watercraft may enter into a memorandum of understanding with the chief of the division of forestry to allow the division of forestry to administer the sale of timber and forest products on lands that are owned or controlled by the division of parks and watercraft. Proceeds from the sale of timber or forest products pursuant to the memorandum of understanding shall be apportioned as follows:

(1) Seventy-five per cent of the proceeds shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the state park fund.

(2) Twenty-five per cent of the proceeds shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the state forest fund created in section 1503.05 of the Revised Code.

Section 1546.11 | Dedication of state reservoirs.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

The following bodies of water and lands are hereby dedicated and set apart forever for the use of the public as public parks or pleasure resorts:

(A) The body of water and adjacent state lands in Licking, Fairfield, and Perry counties, known as the Licking reservoir or Buckeye Lake;

(B) The body of water and adjacent state lands in the northwestern part of Logan county, known as the Lewistown reservoir or Indian Lake;

(C) The body of water and adjacent lands owned by the state in Mercer county, known as the Lake St. Marys;

(D) The bodies of water and adjacent lands owned by the state consisting of the Summit county lakes and reservoirs of the Ohio canal, known as the Portage-Summit reservoirs, together with the Summit lake and enough of the Summit level of the Ohio canal to maintain the present water level of Summit and Nesmith lakes, and the body of water and exterior lands adjacent thereto that are included in the reservoir constructed by the board of public works in Coventry township for the purpose of supplying water for the Ohio canal, known as North reservoir, all situated in Summit county;

(E) The body of water and adjacent lands owned by the state in Shelby and Auglaize counties, and known as the Loramie reservoir.

The bodies of water mentioned in this section shall, in the order in which they are described, be named and designated as follows: "Buckeye Lake," "Indian Lake," "Lake St. Marys," "The Portage Lakes," and "Lake Loramie."

Section 1546.12 | Lakes for use of public.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

The lakes named in section 1546.11 of the Revised Code shall at all times be open to the public as resorts for recreation and pleasure, including hunting, fishing, and boating. The privileges of hunting and fishing shall be subject to the fish and game laws of the state, and the boating privileges shall be subject to the rules and regulations prescribed by law and the division of parks and watercraft.

Section 1546.13 | Transfer of lease after foreclosure sale.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

When buildings located on state land are sold on foreclosure in a delinquent tax suit or in a mortgage foreclosure suit, the state immediately shall transfer to the purchaser of the buildings the lease for the state lands on which the buildings are located or shall cancel the former lease and execute a new lease to the purchaser. If a new lease is executed, it shall be for the same annual rental, contain the same restrictions, and grant the same privileges enjoyed by the former owner, including the privilege of purchasing the land in accordance with section 1501.01 of the Revised Code.

Section 1546.14 | Leases to take and remove halite and coal.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

The chief of the division of parks and watercraft, with the approval of the director of natural resources, the attorney general, and the governor, may make leases to parties making application for leases granting permission to take and remove halite from beneath the surface of Headlands state park in Lake county, and coal by underground mining methods from beneath the surface of Jefferson state park in Jefferson county and from beneath the surface of Burr Oak state park in Athens and Morgan counties pursuant to lease agreements and real estate transactions that have been entered into not later than January 1, 2011, if the chief finds that such taking and removal will in no way affect the surface of the land or the use of the land as a public park. As the chief deems in the best interest of the state, those leases may be made either upon a royalty or rental basis, and may be either for a term of years or until the economic extraction of the mineral covered by the lease has been completed. Upon request from the lessee of any such lease, the chief may consent to its cancellation, but any equipment or improvement thereon owned by the lessee may be held as security by the chief for payment of all rentals, royalties, and damages due the state at the time of cancellation.

Section 1546.15 | Rules and regulations; enforcement.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

The division of parks and watercraft shall make and enforce such rules and regulations, including the appointment and government of park and patrol officers in all parks and bodies of water and lands adjacent thereto under the supervision and control of the division, as are necessary to the proper management of such parks and bodies of water, and in accordance with sections 119.01 to 119.13, inclusive, of the Revised Code.

Section 1546.16 | Pilot and engineer licenses.

• Effective: October 9, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 263 - 133rd General Assembly

The chief of the division of parks and watercraft shall issue pilot licenses and engineer licenses to all persons employed by a boat owner or operator to act as pilot or engineer on any boat carrying passengers for hire on reservoir parks or other bodies of water under the supervision and control of the division. The applicant for such license shall be over eighteen years of age. The violation of any of the sections of the Revised Code relating to reservoir parks or other bodies of water under supervision and control of the division or any rule or regulation of the division for the management of such reservoir parks or other bodies of water shall be cause for the chief to revoke such license.

Last updated October 9, 2021 at 5:18 AM

Section 1546.17 | Inspection of watercraft.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

The chief of the division of parks and watercraft shall inspect all boats and watercraft maintained and operated in or upon the waters of any state reservoir, lakes, canals, and feeders, and may condemn any such boat or watercraft which is unsafe for the carrying of passengers. No owner of a boat or watercraft so condemned shall offer it for hire. If such owner violates this section, the permit issued to the owner shall be revoked and annulled.

Section 1546.18 | Natural resources officer may take possession of boat.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

A natural resources officer appointed under section 1501.24 of the Revised Code may take possession of and hold a boat or other property if such action appears necessary in the course of making an arrest of a person violating sections 1546.15 to 1546.17 of the Revised Code. A natural resources officer shall not be held liable for the loss of or any damage done to such boat or other property taken and held by reason of the failure to comply with such sections, provided ordinary care is exercised in the handling of such property. No person shall take possession of a boat or other property which has been taken in charge by a natural resources officer as provided in this section, until the officer has released same.

Section 1546.19 | Prohibition against use of firearms or fireworks in state parks - exception.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

No person shall engage in the hunting of wildlife, either with a gun or with a bow and arrow, on lands or waters operated or administered by the division of parks and watercraft, except on such lands or waters as are exempted by the chief of the division, under specific orders adopted in conformity with sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code. No person shall engage in the discharge of firearms except during open season for hunting of wildlife on lands or waters exempted as provided in this section, or except in such places where there is provided by the division, skeet, trap shooting, or other shooting ranges. No person shall engage in the discharge of fireworks on lands or waters operated or administered by the division, except a licensed exhibitor of fireworks who is acting in accordance with sections 3743.50 to 3743.55 of the Revised Code and who has obtained the written permission of the chief of the division for a particular public fireworks exhibition.

Section 1546.20 | Care of state property.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

No person shall injure, alter, destroy, remove, or change any tree, building, dock, or land, or part thereof, within a state reservoir park or other body of water under the supervision and control of the division of parks and watercraft, or construct any building or dock within such reservoir park, without the written permission of the chief of the division. All lessees of state lands or lots shall keep the premises in good condition and free of weeds, inflammable substances, garbage, and all other unsightly or dangerous things. Proof that any state premises under lease are used for illegal or immoral purposes shall be just cause for the chief to cancel the leasehold for such state property.

Section 1546.21 | State park fund.

• Effective: September 30, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly

(A) The chief of the division of parks and watercraft shall collect all rentals from leases of state lands and moneys for pipe permits, dock licenses, concession fees, and special privileges of any nature from all lands and waters operated and administered by the division. The chief shall keep a record of all such payments showing the amounts received, from whom, and for what purpose collected. All such payments shall be credited to the state park fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury, except such revenues required to be set aside or paid into depositories or trust funds for the payment of bonds issued under sections 1501.12 to 1501.15 of the Revised Code, and to maintain the required reserves therefor as provided in the orders authorizing the issuance of such bonds or the trust agreements securing such bonds, and except such revenues required to be paid and credited pursuant to the bond proceedings applicable to obligations issued pursuant to section 154.22 of the Revised Code. All moneys derived from the operation of the lands, waters, facilities, and equipment by the division, except such revenues required to be set aside or paid into depositories or trust funds for the payment of bonds issued under sections 1501.12 to 1501.15 of the Revised Code, and to maintain the required reserves therefor as provided in the orders authorizing the issuance of such bonds or the trust agreements securing such bonds, and except such revenues required to be paid and credited pursuant to the bond proceedings applicable to obligations issued pursuant to section 154.22 of the Revised Code, shall accrue to the credit of the state park fund.

Except as otherwise provided in divisions (B) and (C) of this section and in sections 154.22, 1501.11, and 1501.14 of the Revised Code, such fund shall not be expended for any purpose other than the administration, operation, maintenance, development, and utilization of lands and waters, and for facilities and equipment incident thereto, administered by the division, or for the further purchase of lands and waters by the state for park and recreational purposes.

(B) The chief shall use moneys in the fund from the issuance of Ohio state parks license plates under section 4503.575 of the Revised Code only to pay the costs of state park interpretive and educational programs and displays and the development and operation of state park interpretive centers.

(C) The director of natural resources may use moneys from the fund to make the payments required under section 1501.29 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 12, 2021 at 10:54 AM

Section 1546.22 | Parks capital expenses fund.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

There is hereby created in the state treasury the parks capital expenses fund. The fund shall consist of moneys transferred to it from the parks and recreation improvement fund created in section 154.22 of the Revised Code. The parks capital expenses fund shall be used to pay design, engineering, and planning costs that are incurred by the department of natural resources for parks-related capital projects.

Section 1546.23 | Rights unaffected by dedication.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

The dedication or setting apart of any state reservoir or lake as a public park or pleasure resort shall not interfere with or affect the use of such reservoir or lake for canal reservoir purposes, and the chief of the division of parks and watercraft shall not be restricted in any manner from making such repairs and improvements thereon as are necessary for maintaining the safety and usefulness of such reservoir or lake for canal purposes. The authority for the division to manage and control such reservoir or lake for canal purposes is the same as if no dedication of such reservoir or lake for park and pleasure resort purposes had been made.

Section 1546.24 | Parks and watercraft federal grants fund.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

There is hereby created in the state treasury the parks and watercraft federal grants fund. The fund shall consist of federal funds received by the department of natural resources for purposes of this section and any other money credited to the fund. The chief of the division of parks and watercraft shall use money in the fund for parks and watercraft projects approved by the director of natural resources.

Last updated September 12, 2023 at 4:59 PM

Section 1546.30 | Henry T. Beatty Memorial Picnic Area.

• Effective: March 23, 2018
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 134 - 132nd General Assembly

The picnic area that is located northwest of the intersection of Titus road and Division street in Kelleys Island state park shall be known as the "Henry T. Beatty Memorial Picnic Area."

The chief of the division of parks and watercraft may erect suitable markers in the picnic area indicating its name.

Section 1546.31 | Doris Duke Woods timber restriction.

• Effective: September 30, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly

(A) The "Doris Duke Woods" is hereby designated within the Malabar state park in Richland county to honor Doris Duke's pioneering contributions to conservation at Malabar state park and across the nation.

(B) The "Doris Duke Woods" consists of one hundred twenty contiguous acres of Malabar state park's most mature hardwood forest located between Bromfield road and state route number ninety-five.

(C) The department of natural resources shall not remove or allow any person or governmental entity to remove timber from the "Doris Duke Woods," except for normal maintenance purposes.

Last updated September 9, 2021 at 12:09 PM

Section 1546.32 | Rocky Fork state park permits.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Property owner" means the owner of property adjacent to state park lands that abut a state park lake.

(2) "State park lake" means a lake originally constructed for economic development purposes that is located in a state park that is situated in a county with a population under fifty thousand residents in accordance with the most recent federal decennial census.

(B) The chief of the division of parks and watercraft shall establish a program for the issuance of permits to property owners who seek to do any of the following:

(1) Construct or acquire and maintain a dock on and abutting a state park lake;

(2) Mow state park land that is located between a state park lake and the owner's property;

(3) Remove trees from state park land that is located between a state park lake and the owner's property;

(4) Control the undergrowth or remove invasive species of plants or trees on state park property that is located between a state park lake and the owner's property.

(C)(1) If a property owner seeks to construct or acquire and maintain a dock, the property owner shall apply for a dock permit to the chief. The chief shall issue such a permit after application is so made on forms prescribed by the chief unless the dock does not meet standards the chief establishes for docks under the program.

(2) The chief shall allow adjoining property owners to submit an application to construct one dock with multiple watercraft slips that serves all such property owners. Each property owner shall individually pay the annual dock and slip fees applicable to each property owner under division (C)(7) of this section.

(3) A permittee shall maintain the dock in accordance with any maintenance standards established by the chief.

(4) The chief shall allow a dock permittee to install a cover for the permittee's dock upon request of the permittee. The installation and maintenance of the cover is the responsibility of the permittee. The permittee shall ensure that the dock cover consists of a metal roof that is painted green or white and is maintained in good repair.

(5) The chief shall allow a dock permittee to install electricity on the permittee's dock upon request of the permittee. The installation and maintenance of the electricity is the responsibility of the permittee. A permittee that intends to install electricity shall include with a request for electricity an aerial map from the county auditor's web site that shows the path of the electric line to be installed. The chief shall approve the path of the electric line. The permittee shall ensure that all of the following apply to the electric service:

(a) The electric service is installed by a licensed contractor.

(b) The electrical service to the dock is placed in conduit.

(c) A disconnect box is installed at the dock.

(d) A disconnect box is installed at the property meter at the origin of service.

Upon installation of the electric service, the dock permittee shall return the state park property to its original condition prior to such installation, ensuring that the trench is filled and level to the surrounding area and that the disturbed area is seeded and covered with a material to reduce possible erosion. Only one electric service shall be installed per dock location.

(6) The chief shall allow adjoining dock permittees to construct a motor vehicle access path to their dock or docks upon request of all such permittees. Such access path shall be constructed only with natural materials and maintained with natural materials that are not permanent in nature. Adjoining permittees that intend to construct an access path shall include with the request an aerial photo from the county auditor's web site that indicates where the proposed path will be located and a photo of any motor vehicle that the permittees intend to use to access the dock. Such a motor vehicle shall weigh not more than two thousand five hundred pounds and shall have a power source of not more than 899cc. The chief shall approve and issue an annual sticker for each motor vehicle that the permittees intend to use on the access path. If a permittee uses a motor vehicle that is not approved by the chief, the chief shall revoke any stickers issued to the permittee and may fine the permittee up to five hundred dollars.

(7) The chief shall charge all of the following fees, as applicable:

Dock permit application	$100
Annual dock permit - one dock slip included	$120
Each additional annual dock slip charge added to a dock permit	$95
Annual dock covering charge	$25
Request to install electricity on the dock	$100
Annual electricity charge	$25
Annual access path sticker for each motorized vehicle	$25

(8) Divisions (C)(1) to (7) of this section do not apply to any property owner who, before the effective date of this section, has lawfully constructed or acquired a dock.

(D) A property owner whose property is adjacent to state park land that abuts a state park lake who seeks to mow any portion of the state park land may apply to the chief for a mowing permit. The chief shall issue such a permit after application is so made on forms prescribed by the chief. The property owner shall include with the application an aerial map from the county auditor's web site that indicates the area the property owner seeks to mow. The chief may deny mowing access in areas that currently show signs of substantial soil erosion that impacts the state park lake. A mowing permit does not grant any authority to remove live trees on the state park land. Each mowing permit is valid for one year.

The chief shall charge an annual mowing permit fee in the amount of twenty-five dollars.

(E) A property owner whose property is adjacent to state park land that abuts a state park lake who seeks to remove trees on the state park land that have fallen and that are deemed hazardous, or that are dead and pose a hazard to other trees, may apply to the chief for a tree removal permit. The chief shall issue such a permit after application is so made on forms prescribed by the chief. If a property owner makes an application to remove a standing tree, a park official shall inspect and mark any tree that is to be removed prior to the chief issuing a permit. The permittee shall remove only those standing trees so marked by the park official. The permittee shall pay all costs associated with the removal of such trees.

The chief shall not charge an applicant for the issuance of a tree removal permit.

(F)(1) If a property owner whose property is adjacent to state park land that abuts a state park lake seeks to assist the state in the control of undergrowth on the state park land or engage in the removal of invasive plant or tree species on the state park land, the property owner may apply to the chief for an undergrowth and invasive species removal permit. The chief shall issue such a permit after application is so made on forms prescribed by the chief. If a property owner makes an application for an undergrowth and invasive species removal permit, a park official shall, prior to the chief issuing such permit, inspect the proposed area to determine which trees or plants shall be removed under the terms of the permit. The permittee shall pay all costs associated with the removal and disposal of undergrowth or invasive trees or plants.

(2) An undergrowth and invasive species removal permit shall not allow for the removal of any live tree. If a permittee removes a live tree, all of the following apply:

(a) The chief shall revoke any undergrowth and invasive species permit issued to the permittee.

(b) The chief shall fine the permittee up to five hundred dollars per tree.

(c) The permittee is liable to the state for the full value of the removed tree and for any other damages that are available under law.

(3) The chief shall not charge an applicant for the issuance of an undergrowth and invasive species removal permit.

(4) After the permittee exercises the rights granted under an undergrowth and invasive species removal permit, the permittee may apply for a mowing permit in accordance with division (D) of this section to maintain the area to prevent the undergrowth or the invasive tree or plant from growing back.

(G) Any fees or fines collected by the chief under this section shall be deposited into the state park fund created in section 1546.21 of the Revised Code.

(H)(1) No property owner whose property is adjacent to state park land may purposely alter, modify, or destroy state park land that abuts a state park lake, except in accordance with the permits authorized under this section.

(2) The chief may fine any property owner who violates division (H)(1) of this section in an amount equal to the amount of damage caused or all costs incurred in remediating the alteration, modification, or destruction in addition to a penal sum of up to five thousand dollars. The amount of any fine beyond that needed to cover damage caused or costs incurred in remediation may equal, but shall not exceed, the amount charged for damage or remediation. In addition, any permit currently held or any applied for by the property owner shall be revoked or denied for a period of two years for the first offense, three years for the second offense, and five years for the third and any subsequent offense.

Last updated September 26, 2023 at 5:41 PM

Section 1546.90 | Pymatuning Lake compact.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

That the compact or agreement mentioned below and every article, matter, and thing therein is hereby ratified and approved and shall be and hereafter remain in force agreeable to the true tenor and intent thereof.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

AND THE STATE OF OHIO RE PYMATUNING LAKE

This agreement made and concluded between the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, acting by and through its lawfully authorized agency, namely, the water and power resources board, as party of the first part, and the state of Ohio, acting by and through its lawfully authorized agency, namely, its conservation commissioner, as party of the second part,

Witnesseth:

Whereas, By act of assembly of Pennsylvania approved May 2, 1929, P. L. 1503, as amended by acts of May 5, 1931, P. O. 84, April 24, 1933, P. L. 67, and July 9, 1935, P. L. 619, the department of forests and waters of Pennsylvania, acting through the water and power resources board, was authorized, inter alia, to complete the work begun and continued under an act approved July 25, 1913, P. L. 1270, entitled "An act providing for the erection of a dam at the outlet of Pymatuning swamp, and the establishment of a reservoir to conserve the waters thereof; providing for the taking of land and materials necessary thereto; vesting certain powers and duties in the water supply commission; and making an appropriation", and did duly complete said work, whereby there was created a lake or reservoir, now known and hereinafter called Pymatuning Lake, extending in part across the boundary line between said states of Ohio and Pennsylvania into the state of Ohio, and

Whereas, The primary purposes of the project by which said lake was created was to conserve water draining said swamp, all of which has its source in Pennsylvania, as well as control floods and regulate the flow of water in the Shenango and Beaver rivers, and secondary thereto, permit the water and the land surrounding the same to be used for fishing, hunting, recreation and park purposes, under such terms and conditions as the water and power resources board might determine, in such way or ways as in the opinion of the said board will not materially interfere with the primary purpose in said acts of assembly and hereinbefore specifically referred to, and

Whereas, In view of the fact that a certain part of the lake extends into the state of Ohio, whereby it is necessary and desirable that the use of the lake for the secondary purposes, namely, hunting, fishing, and recreational use, be uniformly provided for, as well as to guard against inconvenience and mischiefs which might hereafter arise from the uncertainty of jurisdiction within and on said lake, to the end that the lake may be adequately policed and conflicts of jurisdiction for the arrest and punishment of offenders be avoided.

Now, then, therefore, in order that law and justice may in all such cases be executed and take effect upon said lake from shore to shore in all parts and places thereof where the lake is a boundary between said states, the said parties hereto do agree for and in behalf of their respective states in the manner following:

1. General use. It is hereby agreed that the entire Pymatuning lake or reservoir, subject to the primary use thereof by the commonwealth of Pennsylvania for regulating the flow of the water in the Shenango and Beaver rivers as in paragraph 9 hereinafter more specifically mentioned, shall be open for recreational use equally to the citizens of both contracting parties, save as restricted as to hunting, fishing, and boating in this agreement set forth, or hereafter mutually agreed upon by both parties but no person shall be permitted to hunt or fish therein or thereon unless the lawful holder of a fishing or hunting license, authorizing the holder so to do, issued by the proper authorities of Pennsylvania or of Ohio.

2. Arrest and prosecution of offenders. That each state shall enjoy and exercise a concurrent jurisdiction upon the water (but not upon the dry land), between the shores of said lake, including the islands therein, with respect to the arrest and prosecution of offenders, but in such sort that any boat or vessel fastened to or aground on the shore of either state shall be considered exclusively within the jurisdiction of said state; but that all capital and other offenses, trespasses, or damages committed on or over said lake, the judicial investigation and determination thereof shall be exclusively vested in the state wherein the offender or person charged with such offense shall be first apprehended, arrested, prosecuted, or first brought to trial; it being the intent of this agreement that an offender may be pursued and arrested anywhere on or over said lake or shores thereof or islands therein, regardless of the boundary lines, by any peace officers or persons of either state authorized to make arrests, whether the offenses be committed on or over any part of the lake, on the shores or islands therein, regardless of the state in which the place where the offense was committed lies.

3. Islands. All islands within the lake shall be considered as part of the state of Pennsylvania.

4. Pollution of water. The lake shall be forever protected against pollution of its waters by industrial trade waste, individual, or municipal sewage from shore or boat, and the discharge of any noxious or deleterious substance, liquid or solid, into the waters of the lake which is or may become inimical, or injurious, to public health or to animal or aquatic life is hereby expressly forbidden.

No sewage may be discharged into the waters of the lake except after complete treatment and then only upon permit first approved by the health department of both states.

5. Watercraft. No person shall operate any watercraft propelled by a single motor, or any combination of motors, that produces a horsepower rating in excess of twenty horsepower on Pymatuning Lake, except police or administration watercraft, the number of which shall be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto.

No person shall operate a watercraft without first obtaining a license from the respective state of which the owner is a resident under such regulations as each party to this agreement may now have or hereafter adopt. Provided nevertheless that the use of any type of watercraft equipped with a motor is expressly limited and restricted to that portion of the lake extending from the main dam near Jamestown northwardly to the causeway at or near Linesville. Watercraft equipped with a motor in excess of a twenty horsepower rating may be operated on said lake so long as such motor is not used.

No person shall ride or attempt to ride upon one or more water skis, surfboards, towed inflatable devices, or similar devices or use or operate any watercraft to tow a person thereon.

Nothing contained in this subdivision shall be interpreted to effect a change in the level or flow of water as determined or fixed by the department of conservation and natural resources.

Any one who violates any of the provisions of this subdivision shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced in accordance with the applicable laws for the same or similar violations within the prosecuting jurisdiction, provided that the penalty for said violation shall not exceed a fine of five hundred dollars or imprisonment for thirty days.

6. Fishing. Any person possessing a duly issued fishing license by either state shall be permitted to fish anywhere on the entire lake (except such portion thereof as is closed to fishing by paragraph 8 hereof or such further portion as may hereafter by regulation be mutually agreed to by the parties hereto), but no fisher shall be entitled to fish from the shores of the state of which the fisher is a nonresident unless the fisher complies with the nonresident fishing license law of said state.

In order to permit the fish to fully propagate and develop, no part of the lake shall be open for fishing until July 1, 1937, and thereafter shall be closed in each year between December 10 and June 30.

Unless otherwise mutually agreed to by both parties hereto, the creel, size, and season limits for the respective kinds of fish caught shall be such as may hereafter be agreed upon between the two states.

7. Reciprocal hunting rights. Reciprocal hunting rights are hereby granted to the licensed hunters of each state on the water of that portion of the lake, both in Pennsylvania and Ohio, over the area bounded on the south by an east and west line crossing the state boundary 0.5 of a mile north of Simons, Ohio, and on the north by a line drawn between the point at which the Padanaram road crosses the state boundary and a point formerly known as the Polleck bridge, but such reciprocal hunting rights hereby granted shall extend only to such wild migratory birds as are covered by the federal migratory bird treaty and federal laws adopted thereunder.

Hunting in such portions of the lake as are not included in the area above described and designated shall be and remain under the jurisdiction of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

No permanent blinds shall be erected anywhere on the lake and shores thereof, but this provision shall not be interpreted as forbidding the use of a boat as a blind temporarily moored to or grounded on the shore of the lake or islands thereof.

8. Wild game and fish sanctuaries. A. The game commission of the state of Pennsylvania, having established a wild migratory bird and game sanctuary or refuge in that part of the lake located southeast of the Pennsylvania railroad crossing, it is expressly agreed that nothing herein contained shall be interpreted as entitling the residents of either state, whether licensed to fish or hunt, or otherwise, to fish in, hunt, trespass, or enter upon said sanctuary for any purpose whatsoever. Anyone so doing shall become amenable to prosecution therefor under the game laws of the state of Pennsylvania applicable to game refuges.

B. The conservation division of the department of agriculture of the state of Ohio, having established a fish sanctuary and game refuge in the following portion of the lake:

Being the southerly parts of lots Nos. 79 and 80, Richmond township; all of lot No. 41, and all of lot No. 42, except the westerly 1000 feet thereof, in Andover township, Ashtabula county, Ohio:

Beginning at a point in the west line of lot No. 79, that is 1523 feet south of the north line of lot No. 79; also being the center line of Padanaram road; thence southerly along the county highway along the westerly side of lot No. 79, 1869.5 feet to the north line of Andover township; thence westerly along the northerly line of Andover township, 939.7 feet to the northwest corner of lot No. 41; thence southerly along the highway that marks the westerly line of lot No. 41, 2809.8 feet to the north line of lot No. 42; thence easterly along the north line of lot No. 42, 1000 feet to a point; thence in a southerly direction parallel to and 1000 feet easterly from the westerly line of lot No. 42, 2734 feet, more or less, to the southerly line of lot No. 42; thence easterly along the said southerly line of lot No. 42, 5180.4 feet to the Ohio and Pennsylvania state line; thence northerly along the said Ohio and Pennsylvania state line, 7297.6 feet, more or less, to a point that is 1523 feet southerly from the north line of lot No. 80; thence in a westerly direction, 1523 feet southerly from and parallel to the north lines of lots Nos. 79 and 80, 5260 feet, more or less, to the place of beginning.

It is expressly agreed that nothing herein contained shall be interpreted as entitling the residents of either state, whether licensed to fish or otherwise, to fish in, hunt, trespass, or enter upon said sanctuary for any purpose whatsoever. Anyone so doing shall become amenable to prosecution therefor under the laws of the state of Ohio applicable thereto.

9. Reservation of Pennsylvania's right to the body of the water. It is expressly agreed that nothing herein contained shall operate to deny, limit, or restrict the right of the water and power resources board of Pennsylvania, or any authority established hereafter by said state to exercise such power, to at any time now or hereafter, raise or draw off so much of the waters of the lake as in its sole judgment may be necessary to maintain or regulate the flow of the Shenango and Beaver rivers in furtherance of the primary purpose for which said lake was established, and said water and power resources board shall, without let or hindrance, have the full right irrespective of other considerations, to release so much of the water as they may deem proper to maintain the flow of the Shenango and Beaver rivers, irrespective of its effect on the level of the lake or use thereof for other purposes.

Section 1546.91 | Director shall be administrator of compact.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

The director of natural resources, as successor to the conservation commissioner mentioned in the compact set forth in section 1546.90 of the Revised Code, shall be administrator of said compact.

Section 1546.92 | Effect of child support default on license.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

On receipt of a notice pursuant to section 3123.43 of the Revised Code, the chief of the division of parks and watercraft shall comply with sections 3123.41 to 3123.50 of the Revised Code and any applicable rules adopted under section 3123.63 of the Revised Code with respect to a license issued pursuant to this chapter.

Section 1546.99 | Penalty.

• Effective: September 14, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly

Whoever violates sections 1546.15 to 1546.20 of the Revised Code or any rules of the division of parks and watercraft shall be fined not less than ten nor more than one hundred dollars.