(a) Use, administration and navigation of the locks and canals—(1) Navigation. The Fox River and Wolf River navigation seasons will commence and close as determined by the district engineer, Corps of Engineers, in charge of the locality, depending on conditions and need for lock service. Days and hours of lock operation will also be determined by the district engineer. Public notices will be issued announcing or revising the opening and closing dates and operating schedules at least 10 days in advance of such dates.

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(2) Authority of lockmaster. The movement of all boats, vessels, tows, rafts and floating things, both powered and nonpowered, in the canals and locks, approaches to the canals, and at or near the dams, shall be subject to the direction of the lockmaster or his duly authorized representatives in charge at the locks.

(3) Signals. All boats approaching the locks shall signal for lockage by four distinct whistles of short duration. Locks will not be opened on such audible signal during the period when advance notice is required if the services of the lock tender are required elsewhere to meet prior requests for lockages.

(4) Mooring in locks. All craft being locked shall be secured to the mooring posts on the lock walls. Large craft shall use one head line and at least one spring line. Lines shall remain fastened until the signal is given by the lock tender for the craft to leave the lock.

(5) Delays in canals. No boat, barge, raft or other floating craft shall tie up or in any way obstruct the canals or approaches, or delay entering or leaving the locks, except by permission from proper authority. Boats wishing to tie up for some hours or days in the canals must notify the Project Engineer directly or through a lock tender, and proper orders on the case will be given. Boats so using the canals must be securely moored in the places assigned, and if not removed promptly on due notice, will be removed, as directed by the Project Engineer at the owner’s expense. Boats desiring to tie up in the canals for the purpose of unloading cargoes over the canal banks must, in each case, obtain permission in advance from the District Engineer. Request for such permission shall be submitted through the Project Engineer.

(6) Provisions for lockage service. (i) Commercial vessels, barges, rafts and tows engaged in commerce will be provided lockages during the same period as provided for pleasure boats (see paragraph (a)(6)(iv) of this section).

(ii) Pleasure boats, powered and non-powered, houseboats and similar craft will be provided with not more than one lockage each way through the same lock in a 24-hour period.

(iii) All small vessels or craft, such as skiffs, sculls, sailing boats, etc., shall be passed through locks in groups of not less than six at one lockage, or may be granted separate lockage if the traffic load at the time permits.

(iv) Lockage may be provided during certain hours other than announced at the intermediate locks provided prior requests are made to the Corps of Engineers, Fox River Project Office. Requests may be made either in writing, by telephone or in person to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fox River Project Office, 1008 Augustine Street, Kaukauna, Wisconsin 54130, telephone: 414-766-3531.

(7) Injury to locks or fixtures. Vessel operators shall use great care not to strike any part of the locks or sluice walls, or any gate or appurtenance thereto, or machinery for operating the gates, or the walls protecting the banks of the canals. All boats using the canals shall be free from projecting irons or rough surfaces that would be liable to damage the locks or any part of the canals, and they must be provided with fenders to be used in guarding the lock walls, etc., from injury. Boats will not be permitted to enter or leave the locks until the lock gates are fully in the gate recesses, and the lock tender has directed the boat to proceed. No vessel shall be raced or crowded alongside another vessel, or be moved at such speed as will cause excessive swells or wash. Speed shall be kept at a minimum consistent with safe navigation.

(8) Handling gates. No one, unless authorized by the lock tender, shall open or close any gate, or valve, or in any way interfere with the employees in the discharge of their duties. The lock tender may call for assistance from the master of any boat using the lock should such aid be needed.

(9) Draft of boats. No boat shall enter a canal or lock whose actual draft exceeds the least depth of water in the channel of the canal as given by the Project Engineer.

(10) Right-of-way. Boats going downstream shall have the right-of-way over boats going upstream. Ordinarily, the boats or tows arriving first at any of the locks shall have precedence in passage except that those vessels which have given advance notice, when such notice is required, shall have precedence over other vessels when such notifying vessel is ready for passage. In all cases boats and barges belonging to the United States, or employed upon public works, shall have precedence over all others, and commercial passenger boats shall have precedence over tows. All boats not taking advantage of the first lawful opportunity to pass shall lose their turn. When lockage has started on tows requiring multiple lockages, all units of the tow will be locked ahead of other vessels traveling in the same direction. In the case of tows requiring two lockages, any craft awaiting lockage in the opposite direction will have priority over the second lockage of the tow.

(11) Boats and rafts without power. No boat or raft without power except small boats controlled by sails or oars shall be brought through the canal unless accompanied by a power operated boat.

(12) Dumping of refuse in waterway. No refuse or other material shall be thrown or dumped from vessels into the natural river, improved channels, canals and locks or placed on any bank of the river or berm of the canals so that it is liable to be thrown or washed into the waterway. (Sec. 13 of the River and Harbor Act of Mar. 3, 1899 (30 Stat. 1152; 33 U.S.C. § 407), prohibits the depositing of any refuse matter in any navigable water or along the banks thereof where the same shall be liable to be washed into such navigable water.)

(13) Drawing off water. No water shall be drawn by any party or parties from any portion of the Fox River canals, or of the Fox River, including its lakes, improved channels and unimproved channels, to such extent as to lower the water surface below the crest of that dam next below the place where such draft of water is affected.

(14) Obstructing navigation. Anyone who shall willfully or through carelessness in any way obstruct the free navigation of the waterway, or by violation of any of the laws or regulations governing the waterway and those using it, delay or inconvenience any boat having the right to use the waterway, shall be responsible for all damages and delays, and for all expenses for removing the obstructions. (Sec. 20 of the River and Harbor Act of Mar. 3, 1899 (30 Stat. 1154; 33 U.S.C. § 415), authorizes the immediate removal or destruction of any sunken vessel, craft or similar obstruction, which impedes or endangers navigation.)

(15) [Reserved]

(16) Trespass on U.S. property. Trespass on waterway property or injury to the banks, locks, dams, canals, piers, fences, trees, buildings or any other property of the United States pertaining to the waterway is strictly prohibited. No business, trading or landing of freight or baggage will be allowed on or over Government property, unless a permit or lease approved by the Secretary of the Army has been secured.

(17) Neenah dam outlet works. (i) During periods of high water, when determined to be necessary by the District Engineer, U.S. Army Engineer District, Chicago, to reduce the threat of flooding, it shall be the duty of the person owning, operating, or controlling the dam across the Neenah Channel of the Fox River at Neenah, Wis., acting as agent of the United States, to open or close, or cause to be opened or closed, pursuant to paragraph (a)(17)(ii) of this section, the outlet works of said dam to regulate the passage of water through said outlet works.

(ii) The outlet works of said dam shall be opened when and to the extent directed by the District Engineer or his authorized field representatives, and said outlet works shall thereafter be closed when and to the extent directed by the said District Engineer or his authorized field representative.

(b) Use of the United States drydock on Fox River at Kaukauna, Wis. (1) The drydock being a part of the Fox River improvement, its use will be governed by the general regulations for the use, administration, and navigation of that river, so far as they may be applicable.

(2) The drydock at Kaukauna, when not required for repairs or construction by the United States, may be used by private parties or corporations under certain restrictions and under the supervision and direction of the U.S. District Engineer in charge of the locality or his authorized agent.

(3) The drydock will be loaned to private parties only when no private drydock is available at the time and for the purpose desired. Applicants will be required to establish over their signature the fact that due effort has been made to secure the use of a private drydock and none can be had.

(4) Private parties desiring to use the Kaukauna drydock will give notice to the U.S. Assistant Engineer in local charge at Appleton, Wis., as long in advance as practicable, stating when use of the dock is wanted, nature of repairs required, and the dimensions and character of boat. No boat will enter the dock until the permission of the U.S. District Engineer or the Assistant Engineer above referred to has been obtained.

(5) All private parties or corporations using the Kaukauna drydock will furnish all material and labor, including blocking, when necessary, required for prompt execution of their work, and will also furnish all labor for properly operating, under the immediate personal supervision of an authorized canal employee, gates, and sluices of the drydock. No gate or sluice of the drydock will be operated, or in any way meddled with, except by permission of and under the personal supervision of such authorized canal employee.

(6) No boat will be allowed to occupy the Kaukauna drydock for a longer period than 2 days when other boats are waiting to use the dock, except in cases when, in the opinion of the U.S. District Engineer or his authorized agent, circumstances necessitate and justify a longer use than 2 days. The U.S. District Engineer or his authorized agent is authorized to remove from the drydock any boat using or occupying such dock without his authority, and the expense of such removal will be paid by the party or parties owning such boat.

(7) The wages of all mechanics and laborers, due from private parties for repairs carried on in the Kaukauna drydock, must be paid before the boat leaves the dock.

(8) Repair shop, timber shed, tools, etc., owned by the Government at and near the drydock shall not be used by parties allowed to occupy the drydock.

(9) Lumber and all material needed by parties allowed to use the drydock may be deposited in the drydock yards at such places as may be directed, but only for such time as repairs are being made, and residue must be entirely removed when the boat leaves the dock; general storage will not be permitted.

(10) All refuse and old material taken from boats under repairs must be removed or disposed of, as may be directed, by the owner of the boat or his employees without expense to the Government, and before the boat leaves the dock, and to the satisfaction of the agent in charge of the dock.

(11) The Government charges for the authorized and necessary use and occupancy of the Kaukauna drydock by private boats shall be, until further orders, as follows:

(i) Docking charges (including lay time for the calendar day on which vessel is docked): Tugs, motor boats, and dredges, 75 cents per linear foot; $25 minimum charge. Barges, dump scows, and derrick boats, 65 cents per linear foot; $20 minimum charge.

(ii) Lay-day charges (excluding Sundays and national holidays, unless repairs are made on such Sundays and holidays): For all vessels, 20 cents per linear foot per calendar day or part thereof; $7 per calendar day or part thereof, minimum charge.

(12) The charges for all use or occupancy of the Kaukauna drydock by a boat or private parties, after repairs on such boat have, in the opinion of the U.S. District Engineer or authorized agent, been so far completed as to permit safe removal from the dock, or after such removal has been ordered by the U.S. District Engineer or his authorized agent, shall be $50 per day or part of a day, in addition to any penalties incurred for violation of any of the regulations prescribed by law for the government of the dock and those using it.

(13) The dock will be considered in use by a boat from the time the dock is placed at its disposal until the boat is out of the dock.

(14) The length of all vessels shall be the over-all length measured on the main deck from stem to stern.

(15) The charges for the use of the drydock shall be paid within 10 days from date of bill, which will be submitted to the owner by the District Engineer as promptly as possible after the vessel leaves the dock. If charges are not so paid, the vessel shall be liable to the amount of the charges and the cost of collection in the manner prescribed by law, and the owner of the vessel shall be denied the use of the drydock until all charges and the cost of collection have been paid to the United States.

(16) This section supersedes the regulations for the use of this drydock approved April 10, 1906, which regulations are hereby revoked.

[Regs., Oct. 2, 1926, as amended at 33 FR 11544, Aug. 14, 1968; 36 FR 1253, Jan. 27, 1971; 43 FR 26570, June 21, 1978; 48 FR 13985, Apr. 1, 1983; 56 FR 13765, Apr. 4, 1991]