Boaters Beware

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You are lazily drifting with the current, lulled by the occasional dip or feather of a paddle in water and the scenery peacefully passing by.   Suddenly, a cast off plastic milk jug catches your eye.

You might think, “Who would dare litter this water?”   But, your first thought should be, “Is there a hazard ahead?”

New legislation passed in 2003 enables individuals or nonprofit organizations to place a sign or marker in the water to warn of hazards.   The law states a sign or a marker in the form of a white plastic milk jug attached by a cord to the hazard is acceptable—though the best marker is a buoy that is designed to mark hazards.

So the next time you see a white plastic mike jug floating in the water, check carefully for hazards first, before you try to rid the water of litter. If the plastic bottle is a marker for a hazard, it should also bear the name and telephone number of the individual or nonprofit organization that placed it there.

The new law applies only to Montana waters that are not navigable waters under federal jurisdiction for navigation aids. For details, call the FWP water recreation coordinator at: 406-444-0136 or send an email to: rjendro@state.mt.us .