BOAT AND WATER SAFETY

New Orleans City Code ch. 170, art. II

in effect

New Orleans City Code § 170-51 Rights of city, landowners protected.

Sec. 170-51. - Rights of city, landowners protected. This article shall not be construed as waiving or prejudicing any rights of the city, the public or any private landowners. (Code 1956, § 66-12.2)

New Orleans City Code § 170-52 Safety requirements for nonnavigable waterways.

Sec. 170-52. - Safety requirements for nonnavigable waterways. Children ages 12 and under, shall be required to have a life preserver before boarding paddle boats, canoes, and skiffs within the boundaries of Audubon and City Park. The vendor who rents or leases such equipment to the public within the parks must supply the life preservers. (Code 1956, § 66-18)

New Orleans City Code § 170-53 Information as to renters of skiffs, etc.

Sec. 170-53. - Information as to renters of skiffs, etc. Owners of skiffs and other pleasure craft at West End and other lake resorts who rent such skiffs and pleasure craft to persons shall compel all persons to whom such skiffs or pleasure crafts are rented to give the name, occupation, place of business and residence of each occupant of such skiff or pleasure craft. Such information shall be kept in a substantial and durable book to be subject at all times to the inspection of the police authorities. (Code 1956, § 66-3)

New Orleans City Code § 170-54 Speed limit—In parts of Lake Pontchartrain.

Sec. 170-54. - Speed limit—In parts of Lake Pontchartrain. The operation of any vessel or watercraft powered by a motor, whether then operating under motor power or otherwise, in Lake Pontchartrain at a rate of speed in excess of five miles per hour within 100 yards of the seawall and within 200 yards of the water's edge of the bathing beach from the entrance of the New Basin Canal to Little Woods is hereby forbidden. (Code 1956, § 66-11)

New Orleans City Code § 170-55 Same—In parts of Bayou Sauvage, Venetian Waterway, Irish Bayou, Chef Menteur Pass and connecting waterways.

Sec. 170-55. - Same—In parts of Bayou Sauvage, Venetian Waterway, Irish Bayou, Chef Menteur Pass and connecting waterways. The operation of any vessel or watercraft powered by a motor in excess of five miles per hour is forbidden as follows: (1) In Bayou Sauvage or Venetian Waterway from the entrance of Bayou Sauvage or Venetian Waterway at Chef Menteur Pass to the point of crossing of the borrow pit of the protective levee. (2) In Irish Bayou from the east entrance of Irish Bayou to the point of crossing of the borrow pit of U.S. Highway No. 11. (3) In the borrow pit of U.S. Highway No. 11 from the intersection with the protective levee to its northern termination point near Lake Pontchartrain. (4) In Chef Menteur Pass from its entrance at Lake Pontchartrain to its point of intersection with the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. (5) The entirety of the Marquez Canal from its entrance at Lake Saint Catherine to its point of intersection with the Chef Menteur Pass. (Code 1956, § 66-11.1; M.C.S., Ord. No. 29804, § 1, 2-1-24)

New Orleans City Code § 170-56 Same—Entering or leaving Lake Ponchartrain channel.

Sec. 170-56. - Same—Entering or leaving Lake Ponchartrain channel. No vessel or watercraft while traveling in any channel, whether entering or leaving any of the tributaries of the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain within the control of the city, shall be permitted to operate at a speed in excess of five miles per hour. (Code 1956, § 66-12)

New Orleans City Code § 170-57 Same—Entering or leaving of Bayou Sauvage, Venetian Waterway or Irish Bayou channels.

Sec. 170-57. - Same—Entering or leaving of Bayou Sauvage, Venetian Waterway or Irish Bayou channels. No vessel or watercraft while traveling in any channel whether entering or leaving any of the tributaries of Bayou Sauvage or Venetian Waterway or Irish Bayou and connecting waterways shall be permitted to operate at a speed in excess of five miles per hour. (Code 1956, § 66-12.1)

New Orleans City Code § 170-58 Owner presumed operator.

Sec. 170-58. - Owner presumed operator. The registered owner of a boat who is on the craft at the time of the arrest for a violation of sections 170-54 or 170-56 shall be presumed to be the operator of the boat. (Code 1956, § 66-13)

New Orleans City Code § 170-59 No swimming in certain areas in or near Lake Pontchartrain.

Sec. 170-59. - No swimming in certain areas in or near Lake Pontchartrain. There shall be no swimming or bathing in: (1) The New Basin Canal from the Lake Avenue Bridge to its entrance into Lake Pontchartrain; (2) Those parts of Lake Pontchartrain known as the New Yacht Club Pen and the Old Yacht Club Pen; or (3) The channel which is formed by the confluence or merger of the entrance to the Yacht Club Pens and the entrance to the New Orleans Canal into Lake Pontchartrain from the Coast Guard Station to the North Jetty. (Code 1956, § 66-14)

New Orleans City Code § 170-60 Swimming, fishing or scuba diving prohibited in skiing or armed scuba diving areas.

Sec. 170-60. - Swimming, fishing or scuba diving prohibited in skiing or armed scuba diving areas. (a) It shall be unlawful to swim or bathe or fish or scuba dive in the following areas of Lake Pontchartrain wherein water skiing is practiced: (1) That portion of the lake from the east breakwater of Lake Pontchartrain Beach to Franklin Avenue, extending from the shoreline into the lake a distance of 200 yards. (2) That portion of the lake from the west breakwater of Lake Pontchartrain Beach to London Avenue Canal and extending from the shoreline into the lake a distance of 200 yards. (3) That portion of the lake between the extension of Canal Boulevard and the extension of the Orleans Canal for a distance of 200 yards from the shoreline. (b) It shall be unlawful to swim or bathe or fish at any time in the following areas of Lake Pontchartrain wherein armed scuba diving shall be confined: (1) The first 50 yards from the north shoreline of the Municipal Yacht Harbor breakwater, extending from the Orleans-Jefferson Parish line to 50 feet from the east end of such breakwater, to be measured westward 50 feet from such east end. (2) The first 50 yards along the entire length of the east side of the New Orleans Airport seawall. (c) Scuba diving without weapons, fishing, swimming and bathing shall be lawful in all other areas of the lake not prohibited by this section and by section 170-59, which shall remain in full force and effect. (Code 1956, § 66-16)

New Orleans City Code § 170-61 Swimming prohibited in Bayou St. John.

Sec. 170-61. - Swimming prohibited in Bayou St. John. It shall be unlawful to swim or bathe in Bayou St. John, from its head at Hagan Avenue to Robert E. Lee Boulevard. (Code 1956, § 66-17)

New Orleans City Code § 170-62 Abandoning or long-term mooring of boats prohibited along Bayou St. John.

Sec. 170-62. - Abandoning or long-term mooring of boats prohibited along Bayou St. John. It shall be unlawful to abandon or moor boats for longer than 24 hours along Bayou St. John or along the bridges that cross Bayou St. John. For purposes of this division, "Bayou St. John" includes its head at Hagan Avenue to Desaix Boulevard. Boats found to be in violation of this division shall be subject to impoundment. (M.C.S., Ord. No. 26025, § 1, 9-4-14)

New Orleans City Code § 170-63 Notice requirement.

Sec. 170-63. - Notice requirement. The department of police may impound a boat under this section only after prior notice has been given. Notice shall be given by affixing printed information in a conspicuous place on the boat stating that the boat shall be subject to impoundment unless the boat is removed by the owner or legal possessor within 48 hours after the notice is affixed. The affixed notice shall indicate the date the notice was attached, the date upon which the boat is subject to impoundment, and contact information for retrieval purposes. (M.C.S., Ord. No. 26025, § 1, 9-4-14)

New Orleans City Code § 170-64 Impoundment.

Sec. 170-64. - Impoundment. Impounded boats shall be held by the department of police until claimed by the owner or legal possessor or disposed of in accordance with state law governing disposition of lawfully seized movable property. Any owner or legal possessor who seeks to recover an impounded boat shall be required to demonstrate proof of ownership and pay all related fees at the time of recovery. (M.C.S., Ord. No. 26025, § 1, 9-4-14)

New Orleans City Code § 170-65 Fees.

Sec. 170-65. - Fees. If any boat is impounded, an impoundment fee of $150.00 and, after the first 24 hours, a storage fee of $10.00 per day for each day that the boat is impounded shall be assessed upon recovery. Total fees, excluding impoundment fee, shall not exceed $250.00 per boat. (M.C.S., Ord. No. 26025, § 1, 9-4-14)

New Orleans City Code § 170-66 Disposition.

Sec. 170-66. - Disposition. The department of police shall retain custody and possession of impounded boats for a period of not less than five months from the date of impoundment, unless recovered by the owner or legal possessor. After such time, the impounded boat may be disposed of pursuant to state law governing disposition of lawfully seized property. The purchaser of any unclaimed boat shall not be liable for the impoundment fee or any storage fees accumulated prior to the date of purchase. (M.C.S., Ord. No. 26025, § 1, 9-4-14)

Source: City of New Orleans, Code of Ordinances and Home Rule Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/la/new_orleans/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH170WA_ARTIIBOWASAFetched: 10/28/2026