PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Oregon Marine Board passed new rules for the Lower Willamette River in Clackamas and Multnomah Counties this week.
Under the new rules, a seasonal pass-through zone will be in place from May 1 through September 30 for the 3.9 mile mile stretch from the Hawthorne Bridge upstream to the southernmost moorage in Waverly Marina.
Buffer zones will go in around docks and other structures from Waverly Marina to Willamette Falls. The buffers include: Slow no-wake zones within 100 feet of docks and other structures, waterskiing permitted outside of 100 feet from docks and other structures and towing inflatable devices and wakeboarding is restricted within 200 feet of docks and other structures.
Wake surfing is banned from Waverly Marina to Willamette Falls.
The rules will go into effect May 1 for the 2021 boating season.
Last week, small water sport business owners spoke out against the regulations.
Matt Radich, the president of Active Water Sports in Oregon City said roughly 400 small businesses would be affected. He told KOIN 6 News the answer is not to pull boats off the river, but rather change how well current rules are enforced.
“All those people aren’t going to sell their boats or stop boating. They’re going to have to go somewhere else,” Radich said. “We very much push education and enforcement as the two top things they have to do, because if people don’t understand the laws, they’re not going to follow them.”