Boating & Buoys

Boating on Newman Lake

We all enjoy recreating on the lake in all types of vessels and all times of the year. Below are a few guidelines to assist you as a boater, a property owner and other interesting facts.

Spokane County Boating Safety Ordinance

https://www.spokanecounty.org/1875/Boating-Safety-Ordinance

A few highlighted areas of the ordinance are below and should be reviewed be everyone that lives and boats on Newman Lake: 

RCW 79A.60.030

Operation of vessel in a negligent manner—Penalty.

A person shall not operate a vessel in a negligent manner. For the purposes of this section, to “operate in a negligent manner” means operating a vessel in disregard of careful and prudent operation, or in disregard of careful and prudent rates of speed that are no greater than is reasonable and proper under the conditions existing at the point of operation, taking into account the amount and character of traffic, size of the lake or body of water, freedom from obstruction to view ahead, effects of vessel wake, and so as not to unduly or unreasonably endanger life, limb, property or other rights of any person entitled to the use of such waters. Except as provided in RCW 79A.60.020, a violation of this section is an infraction under chapter 7.84 RCW.

6.03.070 – Buoys

1. Speed/ no-wake buoys also known as Regulatory markers shall be placed 100 feet from the established high water mark or 75 feet from an appendance. A permitted appendence, such as a dock, shall constitute the shoreline for the purpose of this section.
2. Recreational buoys (i.e., slalom courses) shall be placed 100 feet from the established high water mark and if left unattended from sunset to sunrise shall be available for public use.
3. Mooring buoys shall be placed within fifty feet of the shoreline. Provided, however, mooring buoys may be placed greater than fifty feet from the shoreline if such buoys are appropriately marked as provided for in the UWMS, illuminated and maintained with a bright flashing white light during the hours between sunset and sunrise.
4. The Sheriff shall attached a bright colored notice giving the owner seven days to remove or replace any buoy in violation of the Uniform State Waterway Marking System. After the seventh day, the buoy may be removed by the Sheriff’s Office. Provided, however the Sheriff may remove any buoy, at any time, without notification to its owner, when the Sheriff’s Office deems the buoy to be a hazard to navigation.

6.03.080 – Hazard to navigation

No person may place or cause to be placed any ski, swim dock, buoy, or floating course in a waterway which creates a hazard to navigation.

**you may receive a notice from Marine Enforcement

This buoy is in violation of the above listed Spokane County Boating Safety Ordinance and has been deemed a hazard to navigation. This buoy needs to be moved within seven days to meet ordinance 6.03.070, which indicates buoy placement on waterways.