Know the rules. Stay safe on the water.
Here at the Columbia Lake Stewardship Society, we get lots of inquiries from the community about mooring buoys and the placement of them. We thought we would do our best to pull some of the most pertinent information together to make researching your specific situation a bit easier. An important thing to understand is that there are multiple layers to mooring buoy regulations in Columbia Lake depending on a few different factors.
*Please note that the Columbia Lake Stewardship Society is a non-profit organization that focuses on water monitoring and community education about our watershed. We do not write bylaws or enforce them. The purpose of this page is to pull some resources together to make researching your specific docks & mooring buoy situation a little easier. Please forward any questions or concerns regarding mooring buoy bylaws to the appropriate governing body.
- Docks
- Buoys
- Maps
- Downloads & Resources
- FAQ
Columbia Lake consists of two different zoning authorities (RDEK & Village of Canal Flats). First check the maps to identify which zone you’re looking into.
BC Land Act:
Though upland areas located adjacent to waterbodies may be privately owned, the Province of British Columbia owns nearly all areas located between the high and low watermarks of streams, rivers and lakes. Individuals cannot build on or develop aquatic Crown land without the Province’s authorization, even if they own adjacent property or upland. If you propose to construct permanent small boat moorage works, then you may be required to obtain a licence of occupation or lease for moorage from Land and Water BC Inc. If you are not the owner of the adjacent upland, then you will likely also require the written consent of the upland landowner.
Installation Guidelines
Placement of docks must be in accordance with a licence of occupation or lease issued by the province under the Land Act or the applicable Crown Land Use Operational Policy. Docks are subject to review and approval under the Navigable Waters Protection Act.
RDEK Zoning Bylaw
Village of Canal Flats Zoning Bylaw
Zone CL-1 (Recreation):
- No docks permitted.
Zone: CL-2 (Community Amenity):
- Dock is permitted.
- No structure may be constructed or placed which contravenes the regulations.
Zone: CL-3(Group Moorage):
- Dock is permitted.
- No structure may be constructed or placed which contravenes the regulations.
Water Resource 1:
- No docks permitted.
Water Resource 2 (Community Zone):
- Dock, recreational is permitted.
- DOCK, RECREATIONAL means a platform, either floating or fixed, below the natural boundary of the water body, which is designed to accommodate noncommercial parking and temporary water storage of watercraft and pedestrian access to and from watercraft.
Water Resource 3 (Residential zone):
- Dock is permitted.
Water Resource 4 (Eagles Nest):
- No private dock permitted.
- Group moorage facility permitted.
- Maximum number of docks per adjoining parcel→ 1 dock
- Maximum number of boats to be moored in the WR-4(EN) zone → 3 boats per one dock
Water Resource 5 (Painted Ridge):
- No private dock permitted.
- Group moorage facility permitted.
- Maximum number of docks per adjoining parcel→ 1 dock
- Maximum number of boats to be moored in the WR-5(PR) zone → 5 boats per one dock
Size & Placement
Docks shall be constructed following:
- Max number of structures per lease or licence of occupation → 1 dock
- Max dock size → 80m2
- Max dock width → 3m
- Max dock projection past the natural boundary → 20m– measured at right angles to the general trend of the shoreline in the immediate vicinity of the subject structure.
- Minimum distance from an adjacent property boundary or property line extension → 5m
- Minimum distance from adjacent docks or other structures → 10m
Docks shall:
- be consistent with the orientation of neighbouring docks;
- not restrict access to adjacent docks; and
- not rest on the foreshore at low water.
Construction materials shall be:
- wooden or pipe pilings; and
- untreated, non-toxic materials.
Docks shall be L or T shaped.
Floating docks and swimming platforms are to be removed annually prior to lake icing. Once removed the dock shall be stored on private upland property and not on the Crown foreshore.
The placement and use of docks, must be in accordance with a licence of occupation or lease issued by the province under the Land Act or the applicable Crown Land Use Operational Policy.
Roofs or covered structures are not permitted.
Overnight moorage is not permitted.
Environmental Considerations
Before you decide to design and build your own private dock:
- Do you actually need a dock and/or float for you boat or would a mooring buoy, which had far less environmental impact, be sufficient?
- Could you use a public dock or share a neighbour’s private dock instead?
- Does you local government have plans to develop a community dock in your area?
- You should also be aware that development and operation of small boat moorage structures poses particular risks to sensitive lakeshore habitat areas, including inlet/outlet streams, fish spawning areas, adult fish holding areas, juvenile fish dispersal areas and areas of aquatic and riparian vegetation. These risks increase with the number of docks constructed in a local habitat area, as may occur in association with large lakeshore subdivisions or similar local community developments.
Design:
- Care should be taken to minimize the area disturbed by construction activities and to preserve trees, shrubs and grasses near the shoreline.
- Leaving the site in as natural a condition as possible, together with installing a minimum number of well-spaced pilings, should prevent interruption of lake currents and reduce the potential for altered patterns of erosion or sediment deposition.
- Existing rocks and logs in the aquatic environment are important fish habitats and should not be used as building materials.
- The use of heavy equipment below the lake high water mark should also be avoided wherever possible.
Columbia Lake consists of two different zoning authorities (RDEK & Village of Canal Flats). First check the maps to identify which zone you’re looking into.
All mooring buoys must be placed in accordance with the Private Buoy Regulation under the Canada Shipping Act and are subject to review and approval under the Navigable Waters Protection Act.
Installation Guidelines
“Mooring buoy” means a private buoy under the Private Buoy Regulation of the Canada Shipping Act that is used to secure watercraft in a fixed location.
“Moorage” means the tying, fastening or securing of a boat to a buoy or dock.
“Recreational buoy” means a buoy under the Private Buoy Regulation of the Canada Shipping Act that is utilized for recreation purposes, such as denoting a water skiing course or a designated swim area.
RDEK Zoning Bylaw
Village of Canal Flats Zoning Bylaw
Zone CL-1 (Recreation):
- Mooring buoys are not permitted.
- Recreational Buoys permitted.
Zone CL-2 (Community Amenity):
- Mooring buoys are not permitted.
- Recreational Buoys permitted.
Zone CL-3 (Group Moorage):
- Mooring buoy permitted.
- All mooring buoys must be placed in accordance with the Private Buoy Regulation under the Canada Shipping Act.
- Overnight moorage is permitted.
Water Resource 1:
- Moorage permitted.
- Overnight moorage is not permitted.
Water Resource 2 (Community Zone):
- Moorage permitted.
- Overnight moorage is not permitted.
Water Resource 3 (Residential zone):
- Mooring permitted.
- Overnight moorage is permitted.
- Mooring buoys are NOT permitted.
Water Resource 4 (Eagles Nest):
- Mooring buoys are NOT permitted.
- Group moorage facility permitted.
- GROUP MOORAGE FACILITY means one or more docks providing communal overnight moorage and/or day use moorage facilities.
Water Resource 5 (Painted Ridge):
- Mooring buoys are NOT permitted.
- Group moorage facility permitted.
Private Mooring Buoy Regulations
The Columbia Lake Management plan states that ‘The placement and use of all private buoys are encouraged to conform to the Private Buoy Regulations.’ It also states that ‘The placement of new mooring buoys is generally not supported, except as may be accommodated by the applicable surface water zoning.
- Most of the existing mooring buoys on the lake belong to private residents or community associations. Never moor a boat to a navigational buoy such as a ‘no wake zone’ or ‘swimming area’ buoy.
- If you are going to place a buoy in the water be aware that they need to follow the Canadian Shipping Act’s Private Buoy Regulations.
- A mooring anchor must be heavy enough to hold the boat securely in place and withstand movement in high winds. If you want to weigh down the boat with concrete be aware that dried concrete loses about 42% of its weight when fully submerged.
Environmental Considerations
Lake Bed Disturbance:
- Mooring buoys require an anchor that can be a large, heavy object placed on the lakebed. The anchoring process and the presence of the anchor itself can damage fragile aquatic plants and animals, especially in shallow areas. Consider using environmentally friendly anchoring systems that minimize seabed disturbance. The size and weight of the anchor and chain should be appropriate for the water depth, currents, and tidal range to ensure the buoy is securely anchored and minimizes potential for movement, which could cause further environmental damage.
- In shallow waters, the wash from propellers can churn up sediment, impacting water clarity and potentially harming aquatic plants. Consider the potential impact of boat traffic on the area and choose buoy locations that minimize this risk.
Prioritize the use of sustainable and biodegradable materials in buoy construction to reduce the long-term environmental impact.
Habitat Alteration:
- Buoys can alter the natural flow of currents and sedimentation, potentially impacting the habitat of fish and other aquatic life. Choose buoy locations carefully to avoid sensitive areas like spawning grounds or critical habitats.
- Design the mooring system to minimize the risk of aquatic animal/plant entanglement by avoiding excess loops or lengths of chain & rope.
Note: Village of Canal Flats Water Zoning begins where RDEK Water Zoning finishes on the South end.
RDEK Water Zoning (Schedule A16 & A17)
Village of Canal Flats Water Zoning
Canadian Navigable Waters Act- Transport Canada
Canada Shipping Act – Transport Canada
Docks:
- Front Counter BC
- BC Land use- Private Moorage : Land Act authorization of existing or new docks can be provided through granting of a tenure which requires an application.
- Crown Land Tenure Application
Buoys:
Zoning Bylaws:
Maps:
Additional Resources:
- Columbia Lake Management Plan
- Columbia Lake Foreshore Integrated Management Planning (FIMP)
- Columbia Lake Foreshore Development Guidelines
What can I do if I have a question, concern or complaint about a buoy?
If you still have a concern, question or complaint, you can submit a comment to Front Counter BC FrontCounterBC website or the natural resource violation officer (https://forms.gov.bc.ca/industry/report-a-natural-resource-violation/).
You can also submit a complaint to the RDEK bylaw enforcement officer. Please note that ‘All complaints must be made in writing to the Compliance Officer within their respective Electoral Area’.
Can I place a NEW mooring buoy?
In 2012, the Regional District of East Kootenay led a grandfathering process and inventory on mooring buoys in Columbia Lake making the existing mooring buoys at the time of the inventory legally non-conforming. Any new buoys placed after the grandfathering process are subject to the bylaws.
Where do I buy a buoy?
Here are a few BC marine equipment shops that carry buoys and related gear.
Please note: It is your responsibility to ensure that any equipment you purchase complies with local regulations. These are simply resources we’ve found — we do not endorse or have any affiliation with the businesses listed.
Can I make my own buoy?
Yes, you can make your own buoy as long as the buoys meet the requirements. A homemade buoy must be durable to withstand weather and water conditions, very visible, and can absorb boat impacts. Rigid plastic foam and rigid moulded plastic buoys work well because they are lightweight and can withstand impacts. Do not use steel drums, barrels, propane cylinders, bleach bottles or jugs as buoys. Steel buoys withstand weather conditions but can cause extensive damage if hit by a boat.
You must ensure the buoy is constructed and maintained well because in the event of an accident, private owners may be found liable for any damages resulting from negligent operation.
DISCLAIMER: This webpage is intended to be a starting point for your research on your mooring buoy situation – it may not contain all necessary information depending on the situation so further research is encouraged.