33 CFR 334.230 – Potomac River
(a) Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, VA—(1) The areas. Portions of the Upper Machodoc Creek and Potomac River near Dahlgren, VA as described below:
(i) Lower zone. The entire portion of the lower Potomac River between a line from Point Lookout, Maryland, to Smith Point, Virginia, and a line from Buoy 14 (abreast of St. Clements Island) to a point near the northeast shore of Hollis Marsh at latitude 38°10?00?, longitude 76°45?22.4?. Hazardous operations are conducted in this zone at infrequent intervals.
(ii) Middle zone. Beginning at the intersection of the Harry W. Nice Bridge with the Virginia shore; thence to Light 33; thence to latitude 38°19?06?, longitude 76°57?06? which point is about 3,300 yards east-southeast of Light 30; thence to Line of Fire Buoy O, about 1,150 yards southwest of Swan Point; thence to Line of Fire Buoy M, about 1,700 yards south of Potomac View; thence to Line of Fire Buoy K, about 1,400 yards southwesterly of the lower end of Cobb Island; thence to Buoy 14, abreast of St. Clements Island, thence southwest to a point near the northeast shore of Hollis Marsh at latitude 38°10?00?; longitude 76°45?22.4?; thence northwest to Line of Fire Buoy J, about 3,000 yards off Popes Creek, Virginia; thence to Line of Fire Buoy L, about 3,600 yards off Church Point; thence to Line of Fire Buoy N, about 900 yards off Colonial Beach; thence to Line of Fire Buoy P, about 1,000 yards off Bluff Point; thence northwest to latitude 38°17?54?, longitude 77°01?02?, a point of the Virginia shore on property of the Naval Support Facility Dahlgren, a distance of about 4,080 yards; thence north along the Potomac shore of Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren to Baber Point; and thence west along the Upper Machodoc Creek shore of Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren to Howland Point at latitude 38°19?0.5?, longitude 77°03?23?; thence northeast to latitude 38°19?18?, longitude 77°02?29?, a point on the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren shore about 350 yards southeast of the base of the Navy recreational pier. Hazardous operations are normally conducted in this zone daily except Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays.
(iii) Upper zone. Beginning at Mathias Point, Va.; thence north to Light 5; thence north-northeast to Light 6; thence east-southeast to Lighted Buoy 2, thence east-southeast to a point on the Maryland shore at approximately latitude 38°23?35.5?, longitude 76°59?15.5?; thence south along the Maryland shore to, and then along, a line passing through Light 1 to the Virginia shore, parallel to the Harry W. Nice Bridge; thence north with the Virginia shore to the point of beginning. Hazardous operations are conducted in this zone at infrequent intervals.
(2) The regulations. (i) Hazardous operations normally take place between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily except Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays, with infrequent night firing between 5 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. During a national emergency, hazardous operations will take place between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. daily except Sundays. Hazardous operations may involve firing large or small caliber guns and projectiles, aerial bombing, use of directed energy, and operating manned or unmanned watercraft.
(ii) When hazardous operations are in progress, no person, or fishing or oystering vessels shall operate within the danger zone affected unless so authorized by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren’s patrol boats. Oystering and fishing boats or other craft may cross the river in the danger zone only after they have reported to the patrol boat and received instructions as to when and where to cross. Deep-draft vessels using dredged channels and propelled by mechanical power at a speed greater than five miles per hour may proceed directly through the danger zones without restriction except when notified to the contrary by the patrol boat. Unless instructed to the contrary by the patrol boat, small craft navigating up or down the Potomac River during hazardous operations shall proceed outside of the northeastern boundary of the Middle Danger Zone. All craft desiring to enter the Middle Danger Zone when proceeding in or out of Upper Machodoc Creek during hazardous operations will be instructed by the patrol boat; for those craft that desire to proceed in or out of Upper Machodoc Creek on a course between the western shore of the Potomac River and a line from the Main Dock of Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren to Line of Fire Buoy P, clearance will be granted to proceed upon request directed to the patrol boat.
(iii) Due to hazards of unexploded ordnance, no person or craft in the Middle Danger Zone shall approach closer than 100 yards to the shoreline of Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, previously known as the Naval Surface Weapons Center.
(3) Enforcement. The regulations shall be enforced by the Commander, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren and such agencies as he/she may designate. Patrol boats, in the execution of their mission assigned herein, shall display a square red flag during daylight hours for purposes of identification; at night time, a 32 point red light shall be displayed at the mast head. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren (Range Control) can be contacted by Marine VHF radio (Channel 16) or by telephone (540) 653-8791.
(4) Exceptions. Nothing in this regulation shall be intended to prevent commercial fishing or the lawful use of approved waterfowl hunting blinds along the shorelines of Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, provided that all necessary licenses and permits have been obtained from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, or the Potomac River Fisheries Commission. Waterfowl hunters shall provide a completed copy of their blind permit to the Natural Resources Manager at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren. Commercial fishermen and waterfowl hunters must observe all warnings and range clearances, as noted herein. Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies are exempt from the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section.
(b) Accotink Bay, Accotink Creek, and Pohick Bay; U.S. Military Reservation, Fort Belvoir, Va—(1) The danger zone. The waters of Accotink Bay, Accotink Creek, and Pohick Bay, Virginia, within and adjacent to the target ranges of the U.S. Military Reservation, Fort Belvoir, as follows: All of Accotink Bay; all of Accotink Creek below the bridge which crosses Accotink Creek approximately 400 yards south of U.S. Highway No. 1; and that portion of Pohick Bay bordering its north shore. The mouth of Accotink Bay and that portion of Pohick Bay within the danger zone will be marked by the Post Commander with suitable warning buoys.
(2) The regulations. (i) When firing affecting the area is in progress, the Post Commander will post guards at such locations that the waters in the danger zone may be observed and arrange signals whereby these guards may stop the firing should any person be seen in the danger zone. When firing is in progress, the Post Commander will cause to be displayed both on the east shore of Accotink Bay at its mouth and near the danger zone boundary on Accotink Creek a red streamer which shall be visible to a person in a boat near those points.
(ii) Persons desiring to cross the waters in the danger zone shall first determine whether a red streamer is displayed on the east Shore of Accotink Bay at its mouth or near the danger zone boundary on Accotink Creek. If the red streamer is displayed, it will indicate that firing is in progress and that the waters in the danger zone are covered by rifle fire, and the area shall not be entered until the streamer is lowered.
(iii) The Post Commander is hereby authorized by using such agencies and equipment necessary to stop all persons and boats at the boundary of the danger zone and prohibit their crossing the area until convenient to the firing schedule to do so.