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News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2, 2001

UP-TO-DATE CHARTS, BOATER EDUCATION RECOMMENDED FOR NAVIGATING LAKE ERIE'S LOWER-THAN-AVERAGE WATERS

COLUMBUS, OH -- With the Lake Erie boating season in high gear and water levels remaining lower than average, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) stresses the importance of boater education and the use of up-to-date charts for safely navigating the lake this season.

"Boating on Lake Erie is still one of Ohio's most exciting outdoor experiences," said Jeff Hoedt, chief of the ODNR Division of Watercraft. "But operators must understand both their craft and their course before venturing out on the lake."

Lake Erie waters are hovering at levels last recorded in the 1960s, which are 8 to 12 inches below their average levels for the boating season (May through October). But, for the past 30 years, higher than average levels have lulled boaters into a false sense of security. Boat operators need to be increasingly aware of their surroundings and potential underwater hazards, Hoedt said. He added that boats can run aground in Lake Erie even several miles from shore.

Up-to-date navigational charts (no more than three years old) contain information about water depths, shorelines, shoals, buoy locations, reefs and markers. Recreational boating charts in notebook (11x14-inch) or standard (2x4-foot) sizes are available at major marinas along Lake Erie. Successfully reading a navigational chart requires practice and time. The Division of Watercraft recommends that boat operators take a navigation class specific to the lake area where they boat. Navigation courses are available through ODNR, the United States Power Squadron and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

An eight-hour general boating course that is now required for persons born on or after January 1, 1982, is also offered by these same agencies. The general class teaches how to interpret buoys and channel markers and covers navigational "rules of the road" - the steering rules for operating around other boats.

"The information is only as good as the expertise of the boat operator who reads and interprets it," said Ken Alvey, deputy chief of the Division of Watercraft and former manager of the Lake Erie region. "Knowing how to read charts, navigate buoy markers, operate a depth finder and interpret official weather information can make the difference between a fun day on the lake and a miserable experience."

Green buoys mark north and east corners of underwater hazards. Red buoys mark west and south corners. In general, boaters traveling east to west should keep red buoys on their right and green buoys on their left.

Alvey noted that navigating the mouths of all rivers and tributary streams along Lake Erie requires special caution. Boat operators traveling down river into the lake should remember to cruise at least a half mile out into open water before turning left or right. Shorelines can pose other boating hazards to Lake Erie navigators this year. Alvey urges boaters to stay at least 100 yards away from shore areas (200 to 300 yards in the Ashtabula County area) to be sure they are in deep water.

"Above all, if you think you might be entering a shallow spot, cut your speed to idle and trim your engine until you pass through," Alvey said. "Slower speeds produce less damage to your watercraft if you hit an obstacle."

Experts with the ODNR Division of Watercraft caution boaters to take special care when navigating the following areas of Lake Erie this summer:

Western Basin
(Maumee Bay area):

Severe storms and shifting winds can change water levels in the lake's shallow western basin in a matter of hours. A boat launch ramp that was open in the morning, might be unapproachable by evening if a severe storm passes through. It's important to use current charts and monitor NOAA weather radio to navigate safely in and around Maumee Bay. Additional advice for boating in the area includes:

Stay inside the Maumee Bay shipping channel that is well marked with buoys.

Avoid the area around Little Cedar Point in the southeast corner of Maumee Bay where "mud humps" rise within a few inches of the surface.

When approaching the docks at Maumee Bay State Park, remember to line up with the Toledo lighthouse and come in directly from the north to avoid shallow spots.

Sandusky Bay area:

Shallow Sandusky Bay is even more so during this period of lower-than-average water levels. Boaters can navigate safely if they remember to take a few precautions.

Stay inside the channel when navigating Sandusky Bay. Outside the channel, the water might be only a foot deep, so caution is needed.

Avoid the entrance to the Sandusky River where sandbars create a boating hazard. The U.S. Coast Guard intends to set buoys at the river's mouth in coming days.

Buoys are already in place on Middle Harbor Shoal near East Harbor State Park and on Gill Island Shoal near Kelleys Island. Buoys are also atop major reefs near the Marblehead Peninsula and on the popular fishing reefs off the Bass Islands and Kelleys Island. Operators need to understand what they mean and how to guide their crafts around them.

Ashtabula County area:

Boaters in Conneaut Harbor should stay within the recently dredged channel that is well marked with buoys.

Lower-than-average waters have exposed a cluster of rocks about a half mile west of Walnut Beach (about 100 yards off shore), making it another area for boaters to avoid. Some rocks are visible; some are just under the surface and hard to spot.

Water at the Lakeshore Park boat launch ramp in the City of Ashtabula is currently only about 2 feet deep. Only watercraft less than 18 feet in length should attempt to launch from the ramp.

ODNR experts stress that Lake Erie's current lower-than-average water levels are part of the natural life cycle of the Great Lakes. Those levels are far below the lake's record highs of the mid-1980s, but still 2 feet above the record lows of the 1930s.

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For Further Information Contact:

Jane Beathard, ODNR Media Relations

(614) 265-6860