Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 571 - Natural Resource Commission › Title II - Licenses, Permits and Concession Contracts › Chapter 16 - Docks and Other Structures on Public Waters › Rule 571-16.3 - Standard Requirements for All Docks

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
All docks are subject to the following requirements:
(1)
Adverse impacts on aquatic
				ecosystem.
All docks, hoists, slips and related structures shall be
				located, sized, configured, constructed and installed to limit their adverse
				impacts on the aquatic ecosystem. In areas of sensitive aquatic habitat, docks
				and hoists shall be located, configured, constructed and installed to minimize
				harm to aquatic habitat. Other restrictions may be placed on docks that are in
				a state-protected waters area as necessary to protect the natural features of
				the designated area.
(2)
Adverse impacts on public access for recreational use.
A dock
				shall not be configured to enclose an area of a public water body and create a
				private water area or otherwise adversely affect public recreational use of the
				water body. Where walking or wading parallel to the shore below the ordinary
				high-water mark would be physically practical except for the obstruction
				created by a dock, the dock owner shall not prevent a person from stepping on
				or over the dock to bypass the obstruction.
(3)
Location and offsets.
To
				the extent practical, a dock and boat hoists shall be placed near the center of
				the shoreline property frontage and installed perpendicular to the ordinary
				high-water mark to maximize offsets from neighboring properties. Each dock,
				hoist, moored vessel and other permitted structure shall be offset a minimum of
				five feet from an adjoining property line and five feet from the projection of
				a line perpendicular from the ordinary high-water mark at the common boundary
				with adjoining shoreline property as determined by the department. A minimum
				gap of ten feet shall be maintained between adjoining docks (including "L" or
				"T" or catwalk segments), hoists or moored boats. Where projection of a line
				perpendicular from the ordinary high-water mark is impractical, it is the
				intent of this rule that a ten-foot gap be maintained in a manner that is
				equitable to each adjoining shoreline property owner.
(4)
Length.
A dock shall not
				extend farther from the water's edge than the distance necessary for reasonable
				access to the water body in relation to characteristics of the water body in
				the vicinity of the dock site and the impacts on the water body and other
				users. Access to maintain one or more boats in water with a minimum depth of
				three feet shall be considered sufficient access.
(5)
Display of 911 address.
Each dock owner shall display the 911 address, including the street and city,
				assigned to the property served by the dock. The owner of a dock authorized by
				an individual permit shall also display the dock permit number. The information
				shall be displayed in block letters and numbers at least one inch high in a
				color contrasting with the background, on the water end of the dock, facing
				away from shore, and shall be plainly visible.
(6)
Winter removal.
Each
				dock must be removed from public waters before December 15 of each year and
				shall not be reinstalled until the following spring unless the removal
				requirement is waived by a condition of a dock permit or by rule
				571-16.18(461A,462A).
(7)
No enclosure of private docks.
Private docks and docks in dock
				management areas shall not be enclosed by roofs or sides. Hoists may be
				enclosed by roofs and sides constructed of soft-sided natural fiber or
				synthetic fiber materials for the purpose of protecting watercraft.
(8)
Materials and flotation
				specifications.
Every new floating structure authorized by this
				chapter shall use flotation methods and devices of a type constructed of
				low-density, closed-cell rigid plastic foam; high-impact polyethylene
				fiberglass material; wood products pressure-treated with a product approved by
				the United States Environmental Protection Agency for aquatic use; or other
				inert materials to provide flotation. Synthetic (such as plastic or fiberglass)
				or metal containers not originally manufactured as flotation devices may be
				used as dock flotation devices if they have been cleaned of any product
				residue, sealed and watertight, and filled with a closed-cell rigid plastic
				foam.
(9)
Flow of
				water.
All docks shall be constructed and placed in a manner that
				allows the free flow of water beneath them.
(10)
Excavation, fill and aquatic
				vegetation removal prohibited.
No bed material may be excavated or
				fill placed, and no aquatic vegetation may be removed below the ordinary
				high-water mark of a water body in association with construction of a dock
				unless excavation, placement of fill, or aquatic vegetation removal is
				specifically authorized by a construction permit issued under 571-Chapter
				13.
(11)
Storage, use, and
				dispensing of fuel.
The storage, use, and dispensing of any fuel on a
				dock on or over a public water body or adjacent public land shall be in
				compliance with Iowa Code chapter 101 and administrative rules that implement
				Iowa Code chapter 101.
(12)
Electrical service.
Any electrical service on or leading to
				any dock used for storage or dispensing of fuel must comply with the National
				Electrical Code, 2023 edition. All electrical service leading to docks shall
				include ground fault circuit interrupter protection.
(13)
Anchoring of river
				docks.
All river docks must be securely anchored to prevent them from
				becoming floating hazards during times of high river flows. The riparian owner
				is responsible for dock retrieval and removal when necessary to prevent or
				remove a navigation hazard.
(14)
Access for inspection.
A dock, boat hoist, raft, platform,
				mooring buoy or any other structure on a public water body may be physically
				inspected at any time by a representative of the department as needed to
				determine whether it was placed and is maintained in a manner consistent with
				the requirements in these rules or with a permit issued under these
				rules.