COLUMBUS, OH -- Lakes and other bodies of water in state wildlife areas are now limited to electric boat motors of four horsepower or less, according to revised regulations issued by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Watercraft.
In addition, waters located within the American Electric Power Recreation Area in eastern Ohio are now limited to boat motors of 10 horsepower or less. The revised rules for wildlife areas coincide with regulations already standardized by the ODNR Division of Wildlife.
Other revised or rescinded rules issued by the ODNR Division of Watercraft, all effective May 17, include:
- The southernmost 3,000 feet of the Hocking River in Athens County (northward from its confluence with the Ohio River) is no longer a no-wake zone for boaters.
- Buoy-marked areas at Griggs Reservoir in Franklin County and O'Shaughnessy Reservoir in Delaware County are now, under state law, open to water-skiers. A previous ODNR regulation was rescinded to bring local boating rules into compliance with state law.
- The nighttime boat speed limit is reduced from 20 to 10 miles per hour on Berlin Reservoir in Mahoning, Portage and Stark counties. An amended rule for Berlin Reservoir also standardizes horsepower restrictions language and establishes certain boat restriction zones.
For Further Information Contact:
John Wisse, ODNR Division of Watercraft
(614) 265-6695
-or-
Andy Ware, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6882