Washington Administrative Code

The purpose of this chapter is to establish a uniform waterway marking system of aids to navigation, including regulatory markers compatible with Title 33, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 62, United States Aids to Navigation System, to which all waterway markers owned by state,…

As used in this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Aid to navigation" means any device external to the vessel intended to assist the navigator to determine position or safe course or to warn of dangers or ob…

(1) On the navigable waters of Washington state, marking to assist navigation is accomplished by a lateral system of buoyage for use with nautical charts. The lateral system is used by the United States Coast Guard in the marking of navigable waters of the United States as determ…

Beacons and buoys indicate to a vessel operator the existence of dangerous areas, as well as those areas which are restricted or controlled, such as speed zones and areas dedicated to a particular use, or to provide general information and directions:(1) Aids to navigation are pl…

(1) Lateral marks define the port and starboard sides of a route to be followed. They may be either beacons or buoys.(2) Side marks are lateral marks which advise the mariner to stay to one side of the mark. Their most frequent use is to mark the sides of channels; however, they …

Safe water marks indicate that there is navigable water all around the mark. They are often used to indicate fairways or mid channels, or the seaward end of channels. Safe water marks are colored with red and white vertical stripes. Beacons have an octagonal daymark; red and whit…

Isolated danger marks indicate an isolated danger which may be passed on all sides. As these marks are erected or moored on or near dangers, they should not be approached closely without special caution. These marks are colored black with one or more broad horizontal red bands an…

Special marks are not primarily intended to assist safe navigation, but to indicate special areas or features referred to in charts or other nautical publications. They may be used, for example, to mark anchorages, cable or pipeline areas, traffic separation schemes, military exe…

(1) On inland waters designated by the commandant as state waters in accordance with 33 C.F.R., Part 66 and on nonnavigable internal waters of a state which have no defined head of navigation, a buoy showing alternate vertical black and white stripes may be used to indicate to a …

(1) Information and regulatory marks are used to alert the mariner to various warnings or regulatory matters. These marks have orange geometric shapes against a white background. The meanings associated with the orange shapes are as follows:(a) A vertical open-faced diamond signi…

(1) Mooring buoys are white with a blue horizontal band. This distinctive color scheme is recommended to facilitate identification and to avoid confusion with aids to navigation.(2) A lighted mooring buoy shall normally display a slow flashing white light. When its location in a …

Lighthouses are prominent beacons of varying size, color, and appearance employed to mark headlands, landfalls, harbor entrances, channel edges, hazards, and other features. While normally identified by their distinctive appearance, some lighthouses display diamond shaped, checke…

Large navigational buoys (LNBs) may be considered floating lighthouses. They generally provide light, sound, and radio beacon signals, and some are equipped with radar beacons (racons). LNBs are red in color, have a forty-foot diameter hull, and a tower approximately forty feet i…

Ranges are aids to navigation systems employing dual beacons which, when the structures appear to be in line, assist the mariner in maintaining a safe course. The appropriate nautical chart must be consulted when using ranges to determine whether the range marks the centerline of…

(1) All solid red and solid green aids are numbered, with red aids bearing even numbers and green aids bearing odd numbers. The numbers for each increase in the conventional direction of buoyage. Numbers are kept in approximate sequence on both sides of the channel by omitting nu…

(1) Lights on aids to navigation are differentiated by color and rhythm. Lighthouses and range lights may display distinctive light characteristics to facilitate recognition. No special significance should be attached to the color or rhythm of such lights. Other lighted aids to n…

(1) Often sound signals are located on or adjacent to aids to navigation. When visual signals are obscured, sound signals warn mariners of the proximity of danger.(a) Sound signals are distinguished by their tone and phase characteristics.(b) Tones are determined by the devices p…

(1) Aids to navigation may be enhanced by the use of radar beacons (racons). Racons, when triggered by a radar signal, will transmit a coded reply to the interrogating radar. This reply serves to identify the aid station by exhibiting a series of dots and dashes which appear on t…

Ownership identification on private or state aids to navigation is permitted so long as it does not change or hinder an understanding of the meaning of the aid to navigation.[Statutory Authority: RCW 79A.05.070, 79A.05.030. WSR 21-20-006, § 352-66-190, filed 9/22/21, effective 10…

(1) Maritime radio beacons operate during specific intervals as published in Coast Guard Light Lists. For station identification, simple characteristics consisting of combinations of dots and dashes are used. The transmitted power of maritime radio beacons is adjusted to provide …

(1) Mariners should notify the nearest Coast Guard facility immediately of any observed aids to navigation defects or discrepancies.(2) The Coast Guard cannot monitor the many thousands of aids in the U.S. Aids to Navigation System simultaneously and continuously. As a result, it…

No person, political subdivision, or agent of the state shall establish, erect, or place any new or replacement regulatory marker or aid to navigation after January 1, 1991, unless such device conforms to the provisions of this chapter.[Statutory Authority: RCW 79A.05.070, 79A.05…

(1) No person shall damage, remove, interfere with, moor to, or otherwise obstruct the purpose of any regulatory marker or aid to navigation.(2) When a vessel is involved with a violation of this chapter, violators shall be subject to the penalties set forth in RCW 88.02.380.(3) …

The purpose of these rules is to adopt vessel sound level measurement procedures. These rules are adopted pursuant to chapter 88.12 RCW Regulation of motor boats, under authority of chapter 88.12 RCW and RCW 43.51.400. These test procedures are based on SAE recommended practices …

As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:"dB" means the sound pressure level in decibels measured using the "A" weighting network on a sound level meter."Commission" means the state parks and recreation commission."Muffler" or "muffler system" means…

(1) A sound level meter which meets Type 1 or Type 2 specifications shall be used.(2) A microphone windscreen that does not affect the overall reading by more than ±0.5 dB shall be used.(3) A sound level calibrator shall be used to calibrate the sound level meter. Proper acoustic…

The following general requirements shall be followed when conducting sound level measurement procedures:(1) The measurements shall be conducted only by persons qualified by training to perform these procedures.(2) Proper use of all test instrumentation is essential to obtain vali…

(1) A person who is qualified to conduct sound level measurement procedures may use either the shoreline sound level measurement procedure, or the stationary sound level measurement procedure, or both. (2) The shoreline sound level measurement procedure shall be performed as foll…

(1) This chapter:(a) Establishes procedures by which the Washington state parks and recreation commission will administer grants supported by water trail program funds; and(b) Provides for issuance and use of water trail permits; and(c) Provides for distribution of trail use guid…

When used in this chapter the following words and phrases shall have the meanings designated in this section:"Commission" means the Washington state parks and recreation commission."Director" means the director of the Washington state parks and recreation commission or the direct…

Water trail program funds may be used by the commission solely for water trail program purposes, including, but not limited to, grants for planning, acquisition, development, maintenance, operation and administration of a water trail program and a water trail system of sites and …

The unranked priorities for the water trail program grant funds are:(1) Administering a water trail program which includes safety education and trail information;(2) Incorporating public land holdings into the water trail system, with emphasis on reducing distances between sites …

Any municipal corporation, public agency, or tribe in the state of Washington is eligible to apply for grants of water trail program funds to support up to one hundred percent of the cost of the water trail programs.[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.51.440. WSR 94-23-009, § 352-68-050…

Applicants for water trail program grant funds must:(1) Complete an application form and timely file it with the commission.(2) File documentation of permission to conduct the proposed program from all owners of land on which the program is to occur.(3) Comply with applicable law…

The selection process which will be used by the commission in the review and disbursement of water trail grant funds is as follows:(1) Applications will be reviewed by state parks staff to determine eligibility and consistency with the requirements of this chapter.(2) The directo…

The commission may disburse funds for approved water trail programs either:(1) After submittal of a billing indicating satisfactory compliance with contractual obligations; or(2) In the case of municipal corporations or other public agencies, in advance payment upon written reque…

Recipients of water trail program funds shall maintain accurate accounting records on the expenditure of funds, provide the commission with these records upon request, and permit the commission to audit the use of the funds.[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.51.440. WSR 94-23-009, § 35…

Permits will be issued on a calendar year basis by the commission or its designee upon payment of the permit fee as published by state parks. A valid permit entitles the holder to the use of all designated water trail sites that are open for public use.[Statutory Authority: RCW 4…

Any person using a designated water trail site shall carry the water trail permit and make it available for inspection when requested by an authorized agent. A violation of this section shall constitute a civil infraction as provided in RCW 43.51.454.[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.…

Guidelines for use of water trails shall be distributed with the water trail permit. Use of commission owned or commission administered sites shall be subject to all applicable public use regulations of the commission.[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.51.440. WSR 94-23-009, § 352-68-1…

Should any section of the foregoing regulations be found invalid, the remainder of the regulations shall remain in full force and effect.[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.51.440. WSR 94-23-009, § 352-68-130, filed 11/3/94, effective 12/4/94.]

The state boating accident reporting program sets out the procedures, established under RCW 79A.60.200, boat operators must use to report pertinent boating accident information to the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction where an accident occurs. Through this program, all r…

Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.(1) "Commission" means the Washington state parks and recreation commission.(2) "Operator" means an individual who steers, directs, or otherwise has control of a vessel t…

(1) The requirements for reporting boating accidents apply to each vessel used on the waters of Washington state that:(a) Is used by its operator for recreational purposes; or(b) Is required to register in accordance with chapter 88.02 RCW.(2) This chapter does not apply to each …

(1) The operator of the vessel must submit a boating accident report when the vessel or its equipment is involved in an occurrence that results in any of the conditions found in subsection (3) of this section.(2) When the operator of the vessel cannot submit the boating accident …

The operator of a vessel involved in a boating accident or the owner of the vessel reporting for the operator must complete and submit a written boating accident report to the law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction where the accident occurred within the specified times list…

The state boating accident report form published by the commission must be completed in writing, signed and dated by the person completing it and must contain the following information about the boating accident:(1) The registration numbers and names as documented of each vessel …

The law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction where a boating accident occurs must submit the state boating accident report form within ten days of receiving, or completing the report to the commission at the following address:Washington State Parks and Recreation CommissionBo…

This chapter is promulgated in order to establish procedures for the issuance of permits for filming/still photography within state parks.The agency permits commercial filming and still photography when it is consistent with the park's mission and will not harm the resource or in…

When used in this chapter the following words and phrases shall have the meanings designated in this section unless a different meaning is expressly provided or unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.(1) "Applicant" shall mean an individual or organization who submits an …