Reservoir Boat Permits

1. All Colorado State boating statutes and regulations, City of Boulder revised code and Boulder Reservoir rules and policies apply and are enforced by reservoir lake patrol, urban rangers, Boulder Police Department (BPD), and Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) rangers. Violators may be ticketed. Please visit the Colorado State Parks website or call 303-791-1954 for more information.
2. All watercrafts must display a current City of Boulder Reservoir permit. Reservoir permit must be placed on the port (left) side of watercraft hull. Permit must be applied to vessel by Reservoir personnel only!
3. All watercraft (including, but not limited to, sailboats, powerboats, kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, inner tubes, water-skis, wakeboards, flotation devices, etc.) must be inspected upon entry into and exit from the park, even if the item will not contact the water or be used. All watercrafts may only be launched from the south shore after successful completion of an ANS inspection! At no time can any watercraft touch, launch from, or be moored on the North Shore.
4. Reservoir pattern is always counterclockwise, (keep buoys on starboard [right] side, and rafts on port [left] side). See Reservoir Boating Map.
   • Full lap counterclockwise around all center rafts; at least 150 feet from shoreline.
   • Half lap (north or south) counterclockwise around lake, and in-between row of center rafts and centerline buoys (buoys on starboard side, and rafts on port side).
5. All watercrafts must remain “wakeless” or maintain a maximum speed of 5mph or less within all “NO WAKE” buoys and mooring areas.
   1. “The term “wake” means a movement of the water created by a boat underway, great enough to disturb a boat at rest.”
6. No Wake Hours: See our website for the most updated no wake hours. Additional days and times may be added for specific events (see event calendar).
7. Tuesday and Thursday will be designated limited wake days. Outside of no wake hours boats will not be permitted to create an excessive wake. Typically, excessive wakes are created by boats that have filled ballast tanks for activities such as wake surfing and foiling.
8. Skiing starts are prohibited from loading areas, “NO WAKE” areas, docks, center and swim rafts and the shore. Skiers must start from inside the water and outside buoyed areas! Expand Adaptive Water Ski Program is excepted during their designated operation time.
9. Vessels with skiers or objects in tow have right-of-way.
10. Any person being towed, including surfers, must always wear a PFD.
11. Vessels with people in tow must have an observer, separate from the driver, in the boat at all times. The observer is responsible for prominently displaying the skier advisory flag (12” x 12” fluorescent orange or red flag). This flag serves as a warning to other vessels and is up the entire duration that the towed person/people are actually IN (not on top of) the water. The flag then MUST be lowered when the towed person(s) is either back in the boat or have resumed being towed. 12.
12. Any person 14 or 15 years of age must take a boating safety course approved by the Colorado State Parks and must always keep proof of course completion with them while operating a motorboat.
13. No person shall operate a vessel upon waters of this state under any condition or in any manner that the vessel emits a sound level in excess of 86 decibels on “A” weighted scale when measured from 50 feet or more from the vessel.
14. All persons 12 and under are required to be always wearing a PFD while on a boat or being towed, unless they are inside an enclosed cabin.
15. Use of “Personal Watercraft,” including jet skis, e-foils, and jet boards are prohibited, except for City of Boulder operations including Expand.
16. Swimming is prohibited outside the designated swim area. This includes swimming from shore and off watercraft.
17. Watercraft may not enter the protected Wildlife Habitat closure areas for any reason.
18. Motorized watercraft may not enter the “No Motor Zone” on the western side of the reservoir.
19. Fueling in or around the water is prohibited.
20. All watercrafts must be OFF the water 1 hour prior to facility closure.

For the protection of nesting and roosting ospreys the area known as Windsurfer’s Point and the water within 100 yards of the nesting platform will be closed. Violations may result in fines of up to $1000 and/or 90 days in jail. Area is patrolled by park rangers and monitored by volunteers. All wildlife is protected. Thank you for respecting closures. For additional information please call the Parks and Recreation Department at 303-441-3461.