From the Great State of Texas

[Jim Rushing]

I have been notified by my marina that the Texas Parks and Wildlife is now enforcing the Texas Clean Water Act on Lake Texhoma. What this means is that if you have a MSD on your boat, you must be inspected and certified by the Great State of Texas. No longer can you have a seal on your closed overboard valve. It must be replumbed so that it cannot discharge overboard. I wonder what this service will cost us.

 

[BoatBum]

Clean Water Act

That's been the law here for many years. While initially a bit of an inconvenience while the inspection bugs were worked out, the water quality of the lake I sail has been dramatically improved. My initial objections have been replaced with support for the program after seeing the results. The cost to the boat owner here was minimal. Simply had to remove (cut off) sufficient discharge hose to make a reconnection impossible and insert a plug. I always used a pump out anyway.

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

Assuming your boat has a holding tank...

the mods are simple enough to do yourself...the only cost will be some new hose. From the tank: Simply replace any pumpout hose that has a y-valve or tee in it that also goes to a macerator and thru-hull with a hose that only goes from the tank to the pumpout fitting. Remove the macerator. From toilet to tank: If that hose has a y-valve that offers a choice of going into the tank or overboard, replace that hose with one that only goes into the tank. Put plugs in any below waterline thru-hulls. If your boat doesn't have a holding tank, you're gonna have to install one.Btw, it only took as long as it did for this to happen because Texoma is an interstate body of water, shared by TX and OK. Getting two states to agree on which agencies from each state will bear the burden of enforcement and how the cost of doing so and the fines will be shared often takes quite a bit of time.

 

[KayakerLes]

No dumping = cleaner water for everyone.

It's about time we have dumping not just banned, but made impossible on Lake Texoma. We sail on it, swim in it, and it serves as a resovoir for those of us that live in close enough proximity.This is a win-win situation for all. Cleaner water. Thankfully the retrofit for sailboats other than daysailers is not an expensive one.See you on the lake (sailing) tomorrow! ~ Les(missed it today... Air 72 degrees and winds 10-15 winds.) Spring is in the air!

 

[Jim Rushing]

Next Sat Morning

there is a meeting at the yacht club with the marina to go over what has to be modified and the paper work that must be filed, etc. Then after the inspection, the state will issue a decal for your boat. Then the water police will know which boats to stop. I understand why it needs to be done, but it is a pain to do. The boat wasn't designed to be easily modified.

 

[Jim Rushing]

The CWA details

The Texas Parks and Wildlife people have been told to enforce the Texas Clean Water Act on all lakes in Texas. At the Saturday meeting we were told that we have to pay $15 every two years for a sticker to go on our boat. There is no inspection involved. However, by displaying the sticker you are saying that you are incompliant with the act. If don't have the sticker, you will be stopped, boarded and fined if your holding tank can be dumped overboard. If you have the sticker and are stopped and found to not comply with the act, it is then a major infraction. The biggest problem is that how you are compliant is left up to the local Ranger. At one time there was a discussion about having all boats remove there overboard thru hulls and glass the holes up. So far this extreme remedy has been put on hold. This is because there are alot of ocean going boats on this lake. At this time, if you remove the hose that goes to the thru hull and plug or cap both ends, you are compliant with the law. However, the sailors that are on Clear Lake in the Houston area will have to comply with locked closed thru hulls unless they are three miles out.