Section 110.40  Boats and Other Watercraft

For purposes of this Section, the term "watercraft" means a watercraft or vessel as defined in the Boat Registration and Safety Act [625 ILCS 45]. It shall be unlawful, on Department-owned, -leased or -managed property:

a)         For any person to operate any watercraft in any pond, lake, river, canal or other body of water where posting clearly indicates that certain specific boating usage is prohibited.  However, Department employees operating watercraft in carrying out official duties and personnel of cooperating agents or agencies operating watercraft as authorized by the Department are exempt from boating regulations in this Section or specific site rules as determined by Department supervisory managers in order to provide management actions for enhancing or saving the resource base or the safety and welfare of the using public.

b)         For any person to use a motor driven watercraft on any body of water under the jurisdiction of the Department that has less than 40 surface acres.  However, this does not exclude the use of motor driven boats to gain access to duck blinds during blind building activities and during the waterfowl hunting season or electric trolling motors on these bodies of water.

c)         For any person to operate a motor driven watercraft at greater than no wake speed on any body of water posted as no wake.

d)         Horsepower restrictions shall not apply at posted boat launch ramps while loading or unloading a trailered watercraft, provided that the watercraft over the H.P. limit is operated at a nowake speed within 150 feet of the loading ramp itself.

e)         For any person to allow watercraft to remain on any of the public recreational and fishing areas under the jurisdiction of the Department during the month of December each year.

f)         For any person to remain on any Department lake after posted closing time.

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 12553, effective September 24, 2021)