615 ILCS 20

in effect

615 ILCS 20/1

(615 ILCS 20/1) (from Ch. 19, par. 47a) Sec. 1. It is unlawful to tie up or anchor vessels or other water craft in public or navigable waters of the State of Illinois in such a manner as to prevent or obstruct in any manner, between the shore lines thereof, the passage of any vessels or craft; or to voluntarily or carelessly sink, or permit or cause to be sunk, vessels or other water craft in such waters; or to float loose timber and logs, or to float what is known as sack rafts of timber and logs in streams or channels actually navigated by commercial craft in such manner as to obstruct, impede, or endanger navigation. Whenever a vessel, raft, or other water craft is wrecked and sunk in any such waters, accidentally or otherwise, it is the duty of the owner of such sunken craft to immediately mark it with a buoy or beacon during the day and a lighted lantern at night, and to maintain such marks until the sunken craft is removed or abandoned, and the neglect or failure of the said owner so to do is unlawful. It is the duty of the owner of any such sunken craft to commence the immediate removal of the same, and prosecute such removal diligently. Failure of an owner to so remove any such sunken craft, shall be considered as an abandonment of such craft, and subject the same to removal by the state as hereinafter provided. (Source: Laws 1939, p. 515.)

615 ILCS 20/1.1

(615 ILCS 20/1.1) (from Ch. 19, par. 47a.1) Sec. 1.1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Navigable Waters Obstruction Act. (Source: P.A. 86-1324.)

615 ILCS 20/2

(615 ILCS 20/2) (from Ch. 19, par. 47b) Sec. 2. Any master, pilot or engineer, or any person acting in the capacity of a master, pilot or engineer, who wilfully obstructs any waterway in any manner set forth in this Act, shall be deemed guilty of a violation thereof, and shall upon conviction be punished as provided in Section 5 hereof. (Source: Laws 1939, p. 515.)

615 ILCS 20/3

(615 ILCS 20/3) (from Ch. 19, par. 47c) Sec. 3. Whenever the public use of any river, lake, harbor, sound, bay, canal, or other public or navigable waters of this state is obstructed or endangered by any sunken vessel, boat, water craft, raft, or other similar obstruction, and such obstruction has existed for a longer period than thirty (30) days, the sunken vessel, boat, water craft, raft, or other obstruction shall be subject to be broken up, removed, sold or otherwise disposed of by the Department of Natural Resources, in its discretion, without liability for any damage to the owners of the same: provided, the said Department shall first give a thirty-day notice in writing, by United States registered mail, to the owner thereof, if known, or if unknown, by publication addressed "To whom it may concern," in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county in which the obstruction is located, or if the obstruction is located in two or more counties, in any one of such counties, requesting the removal thereof. The Department of Natural Resources may, in its discretion, at or after the time of giving any such notice advertise in one or more newspapers of general circulation published in this State, at least ten (10) days before the bids are to be opened, for sealed bids for the removal of such obstruction as soon as possible after the expiration of the thirty-day period for notice specified in the preceding paragraph, in case it has not in the meantime been so removed. Any such proposal for bids may be conditioned that such vessels, boat, water craft, raft or other obstruction and all cargo and property contained therein, shall become the property of the contractor and the contract shall be awarded to the bidder making the proposition most advantageous to the state. Any such bidder shall give satisfactory security for the execution of his contract. Any money received from the sale of any such wreck, or from any contractor for the removal of such wreck, under the provisions of this section, shall be paid over to the State Treasurer. If the proceeds of any such sale are not sufficient in amount to reimburse the State for such expense, the State of Illinois, acting by and through its Department of Natural Resources, may, by civil action, obtain judgment against the owners of such craft, cargo, or both for the difference between the proceeds of such sale and the actual expense incurred by the State of Illinois, acting by and through its Department of Natural Resources, in connection with such removal. (Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)

615 ILCS 20/4

(615 ILCS 20/4) (from Ch. 19, par. 47d) Sec. 4. If any vessel, boat, water craft, or raft, or other similar obstruction, is sinking or grounding, or being unnecessarily delayed in any public or navigable waters mentioned in this Act, in such a manner as to stop, seriously interfere with, or specially endanger navigation, in the opinion of the Director of Natural Resources, or any duly authorized agent of the Department, the Department, or any such agent, shall have the right to take immediate possession of such boat, vessel, or other water craft, or raft, so far as to remove or to destroy it and to clear immediately such public or navigable waters of the obstruction thereby caused, using his best judgment to prevent any unnecessary injury. It is unlawful for anyone to prevent such removal or destruction. The Department or agent thereof charged with the removal or destruction of an obstruction under this Section may, in his discretion, give notice in writing to the owners of any such obstruction requiring them to remove it. The expense of removing any such obstruction as aforesaid shall be a charge against such craft and cargo and if the owners thereof fail or refuse to reimburse the State for such expense within 30 days after notification, then the officer or agent aforesaid may sell the craft or cargo, or any part thereof that may not have been destroyed in removal, at public auction, and the proceeds of such sale shall be deposited with the State Treasurer. If the proceeds of any such sale is not sufficient in amount to reimburse the State for such expense, the State of Illinois, acting by and through its Department of Natural Resources, may, by civil action, obtain judgment against the owners of such craft, cargo, or both for the difference between the proceeds of such sale and the actual expense incurred by the State of Illinois, acting by and through its Department of Natural Resources, in connection with such removal. (Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)

615 ILCS 20/5

(615 ILCS 20/5) (from Ch. 19, par. 47e) Sec. 5. Any person, firm or corporation, violating any of the provisions of this Act is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Any boat, vessel, scow, raft, or other craft used or employed in violating any of the provisions of this Act shall be liable for the pecuniary penalties specified in this section. (Source: P.A. 77-2328.)

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs.aspFetched: 10/17/2026