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9. INLAND BOATSLIPS AND MOORING BASINS

CONTEXT

An inland boat or wet slip is a small artificial slip or basin excavated into the shoreline bank and designed to provide a protected mooring area for one or possibly two boats. The term mooring basin is used to describe an upland excavated enclosure for several boats usually with a small narrow access channel to the waterbody. These types of facilities are on private land and can offer greater protection for boats from wave action and currents.

The impacts of these facilities can be:

The removal of aquatic, shoreline and waterfront vegetation and associated upland habitats;
• Disturbance/destruction of cultural resources;
• Dredging of the shallow littoral zone to provide adequate depth for vessel access and use;
• Siltation, erosion and alteration of currents which in turn could negatively affect the aquatic environment on a long-term or on-going basis;
• Creating areas which can trap floating debris and thereby affect water quality;
• The potential creation (often nominal) of new fish habitat.

Inland boatslips and mooring basins are routinely approved provided that any dredging and shoreline stabilization work is consistent with the policies for these activities.

POLICIES

1. Shoreline stabilization requested for the walls of a basin and boatslips shall be assessed according to the shoreline stabilization policies. Vertical walls within basins and boatslips will be considered
2. Any dredging of the water body bed to provide sufficient depth for boat access shall be assessed according to the dredging policies.
3. Material removed during the construction of the basin shall be disposed 15 m (50 ft.) upland or above the floodplain.
4. Mooring basins will not be allowed in wetlands or near known fish spawning areas.
5. The width of the basin shall be incorporated into the maximum shoreline disturbance limit of 25% of the frontage or the dock/boathouse envelope of 8 m (26 ft.), whichever is less.
6. Efforts should be made where possible to enhance fish habitat in the basin by placing suitable substrate material.
7. A turbidity curtain must be installed before the removal of bank material.

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