The Oregon Marine Board accepted a petition and opened rule-making for a small, no-wake zone on the Prineville Reservoir at a virtual State Marine Board meeting on Wednesday.
In August, the Marine Board received a petition from the Crook County Sheriff’s Office and Prineville Reservoir State Park requesting the Marine Board establish a no-wake zone on a portion of the Prineville Reservoir, which is Crook County’s largest and most popular lake.
The no-wake zone would be in effect from May 1 to Oct. 1.
Local rules already prohibit boaters from operating in excess of slow, no-wake speed within 200 feet of the shoreline on the Prineville Reservoir. The new proposed rules would extend that restriction from short-to-shore near the marina.
The Oregon Marine Board will ask for written public comments on the proposed rule language in the coming weeks.
The Board also adopted rules that allow for the use of electric motors on North and South Twin Lakes for boaters with disabilities.
Boat Operations in Deschutes County now reads: “A person must not use a motor to propel a boat unless the motor is electric, the boat is not operated in excess of slow no-wake speed, and the operator of the boat has a disability or operates the boat on behalf of a passenger who has a disability. Documentation of eligibility shall be produced at the request of any peace officer and includes any documentation of disability issued by a federal, state, or county governmental agency.”
The meeting agenda and other meeting materials are available here.
