St. Johns River vessel restrictions change in one area

St. Johns River vessel restrictions change in one area

POSTED 09/18/08 - As flood waters on the St. Johns River slowly recede, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has eased boating restrictions from the Highlands Park Canal south to the Interstate 4 bridge at Lake Monroe. The area, previously closed to boat traffic since August 29, will be an idle-speed, no-wake zone for boaters.

For the past couple of weeks, the water level in that stretch has been at or above 5 feet, which automatically makes the area a no-vessel zone under an FWC emergency rule. The idle-speed, no-wake zone will remain in effect until the water level drops below 4.2 feet, or until emergency restrictions are lifted. The water level as of 6:30 a.m. Wednesday was 4.97 feet.

Idle-speed, no-wake is defined as the lowest speed needed to maintain steerage and forward motion.

Restrictions affecting the St. Johns River from the Lake George fender system south to State Road 50 are as follows:

Idle-speed, no-wake zone from the Lake George fender system south to longitudinal line 81 degrees, 15 minutes, 00 seconds west (generally, the western portion of Lake Monroe from Stone Island to the Sanford City Marina).

No-vessel zone in Lake Monroe east and south of that area, continuing east and south all the way to State Road 50.

The no-vessel zone will not apply to:

• Emergency vessels;
• U.S. Coast Guard-licensed master captains;
• Waterfront residents who have no access to their property except by water. Those residents will be allowed access to and from their properties at idle-speed, no-wake, and they must carry proof of residency and have it available for inspection.

Exempted vessels are responsible for damage caused by their wakes.

All of these restricted boating zones are in effect and enforceable when the St. Johns River level is at specified flood stages. The river is at those flood stages now.

The rule will be in effect 90 days or until flooding conditions have sufficiently abated.

The river and its waters will be monitored daily so that restrictions may be revised as needed. The St. Johns River and its waters may be dangerous for vessels right now, and the FWC is asking boaters to avoid using these areas, if possible, until these restrictions are lifted. The FWC suggests boaters use other central waterways until conditions on the St. Johns improve.