Photo courtesy Captain Ronnie Gann, Chief of Special Operations, Clay County Sheriff's Office.
LAKE CITY, Fla. -- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has removed boating restrictions on the Santa Fe River.
The river had been designated an idle-speed, no wake-zone since June 29. Flooding from Tropical Storm Debby forced the FWC to restrict boat traffic on the waterway.
"The Suwannee River Water Management District verified the water level has fallen below the required 17 feet at Three Rivers (Gauge)," said Captain Martin Redmond, area supervisor at the FWC's Lake City office.
"There are now no active idle-speed, no-wake zones on the river system, but we would request that boaters be considerate of the flood victims' attempts to recover by operating in a manner that does not create wakes in residential areas," Redmond said.
Officers with the FWC will still patrol local waterways. The officers will be looking for violations such as boating under the influence and careless/reckless operation.
An idle-speed, no-wake restriction means a vessel must proceed at a speed no greater than what is required to maintain steerageway and headway in that river zone. At no time is any vessel required to proceed so slowly that the operator is unable to control it or anything it may be towing.
First Coast News