For Immediate Release:
07/28/17
Contact:
William Sweitzer
| William.Sweitzer@canals.ny.gov
Media Realations | (518) 527-7824
TEMPORARY “NO WAKE” RESTRICTION ISSUED FOR SENECA RIVER AND CANAL SYSTEM
Measures Will Help Protect Shoreline Property and Enhance Boater Safety
$100 Fine for Violators
The New York State Canal Corporation has joined with the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office and Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office in announcing a temporary “No Wake” restriction effectively immediately on the Erie Canal and Seneca River between Lock E-24 (Baldwinsville) and Lock E-25 (May’s Point), and the Cayuga-Seneca Canal and Seneca River between the Erie Canal and Lock CS-1 (Cayuga). Vessels traveling this portion of the Seneca River and New York State Canal System may not exceed a speed of 5 MPH and must not produce a measurable wake until further notice.
The "No Wake" restriction is necessary due to the fact that properties and shoreline infrastructure such as docks and walls which are normally not at risk from wake damage are more exposed when water levels are above normal. Requiring vessels to travel at slower speeds also enhances boater safety by lowering the risk of vessel damage which can occur when boats strike partially submerged debris at higher speeds. Violators will be subject to a $100 fine pursuant to Canal Rules and Regulations.
Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “While we know this part of the Canal System plays a critically important role in tourism-based economic activity, and provides significant quality-of-life benefits, we want to take every possible measure to enhance the safety of patrons on, and residents along, the historic waterway. Enacting this temporary 'No Wake' restriction will allow vessel traffic to continue while preventing property and infrastructure damage along the banks.”
Onondaga County Sheriff Eugene J. Conway said, “We want everyone boating on our waterways to enjoy their experience but to also be safe, boat responsibly, and take every possible precaution to ensure that their use of these waterways does not impact local residents. This 'No Wake' restriction will help protect local property and infrastructure.”
Cayuga County Sheriff David Gould said, “We ask that everyone traveling on the Seneca River and Canal System to adhere to this 'No Wake' restriction and take every prudent step to avoid impacting local property owners. This restriction will be lifted as soon as conditions allow, but our first priority is the safety of local boaters and residents alike.”
About the New York State Canal Corporation
The New York State Canal System is owned and operated by the New York State Canal Corporation, a subsidiary of the New York Power Authority. New York’s canal system includes four historic canals: the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca. Spanning 524 miles, the waterway links the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain. The canals form the backbone of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and connect more than 230 unique and historic communities. The Erie Canalway Trail accommodates more than 1.5 million pedestrians, bicyclists, and cross-country skiers annually. More than three-quarters of the 365-mile Erie Canalway Trail from Albany to Buffalo is a dedicated off-road trail, much of it along the canal’s former towpath. The Erie Canalway Trail and the Champlain Canalway Trail will be completed as part of Governor Cuomo’s Empire State Trail initiative, which at 750 miles upon its completion in 2020, will be the longest multi-use recreational trail network in the Nation. In 2017, New York will celebrate the bicentennial for the start of the Erie Canal’s construction.
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