GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – For many, Memorial Weekend is the start to the boating season.
Officials with the Fox River Cleanup Group want to make sure that everyone stays safe out on the water as they encounter some heavy machinery.
Beyond the everyday reminders, like wearing a life jacket and avoiding alcohol, local officials are urging boaters to keep a watchful eye out for machinery and pipelines on the water that are a part of the ongoing Fox River Cleanup Project.
“The dredging equipment is going to be out in multiple areas on the river,” explains Lieutenant Jordan Atlas, with the Green Bay Police Department.
He says officers get out on the water as much as they can to ensure boater safety, but in the end, the burden falls on those operating a water vessel.
“The harbor patrol will be out at multiple times throughout the year and we know when the weather is nicer there’s going to be more boaters out on the water and more congestion,” says Atlas.
Because of that, it’s a good idea to avoid venturing out solo when possible and bring along an extra set of eyes to watch out for hazards.
“Even more reason to have a spotter or additional people on your boat,” he says.
Officials say it’s important to not only look out for various signs and buoys on the water, but also know what they mean.
“The lighted green and red buoy markers for the channels are for safe passage,” explains Warden Gaven Brault, with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
But don’t get too comfortable with where those markers are set on Memorial Weekend, because most likely they’ll be on the move sometime soon.
“It’s important to note that these buoys are moved quite often as the dredging equipment is repositioned as a part of the clean-up project,” says Gaven.
Additionally, large rectangle signs will mark where pipelines are and tell boaters not to cross.
Lighted orange and white buoys will alert watercrafts to the pipeline area and also mean to stay clear.
Orange pipe delineators mark where the pipeline is submerged and mean proceed with caution.
Officials say some of the equipment will be pulled for Memorial Weekend and on Independence Day, but not everything will be removed from the water.
Because of that, they say always travel at a controlled speed and stay alert to possible hazards.
The Fox River Cleanup Project is entering its eleventh year of operation and officials expect it to be their final season on the river.
