Water Release Variance Request

The ODNR Water Release Variance Committee will have the responsibility of acting as a clearinghouse for the State of Ohio for requests to the COE and, where appropriate, the MWCD, for a variation in the regulated flow of water released from COE managed reservoirs for the purpose of boating safety training. The Committee shall be composed of representatives from the Division of Parks and Recreation, Watercraft, Wildlife, Water, Natural Areas and Preserves and Engineering. The Committee shall establish criteria for evaluating each request, which will take into consideration the specific requirements of the COE, the MWCD and the respective divisions, and be agreed upon by all affected divisions. The Corps of Engineers Coordinator will be ODNRs contact with the COE regarding the release schedule.

Requests for water release variances for boating safety training on COE controlled areas shall be submitted to the ODNR, Division of Engineering, Att: Corps of Engineers Coordinator, 1889 Fountain Square Court, F-3, Columbus, Ohio 43224-1331. All release requests for the following year shall be submitted between September 15^th and November 15^th, in writing, on a form provided by ODNR that contains the following information: (1) name of group, (2) estimated number of people in group, (3) level and specific type of training, (4) requested site, (5) requested date and time of water training, (6) reason and justification for requesting release and training site, (7) estimated flow in cubic feet per second (cfs) and duration of release, (8) alternate dates and times, and (9) name, address, phone number and title of contact person. An agenda for the event must be attached to the application form.

ODNRs Water Release Variance Committee will have the responsibility of evaluating and approving or denying the requests; based on criteria that incorporates biological, recreational, environmental, operational, and hydrological considerations. The Committee reserves the right to alter, suspend or cancel any approved event if hydrological conditions or other factors significantly threaten scheduled maintenance, construction, recreation or ongoing scientific study at any of these reservoirs. Although the Committee does not expect complications to negatively influence any release, it is impossible to anticipate every factor that could cause an events alteration, suspension or cancellation until approximately one week prior to its scheduled occurrence. If an event is altered in any way, the organizations contact person will be notified as soon as possible. Such notification will also be added to the ODNR Division of Watercrafts Web site (http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/odnr/watercraft/boat/releases.htm) as soon as possible after the Committee has made its decision.

The Committee will draft a schedule of approved events which will be circulated to all ODNR operating divisions, the COE and the MWCD for comments by December 1^st each year. All comments on the draft schedule shall be submitted to the Committee by January 15^th. The Committee will review all ODNR, COE, and MWCD comments submitted; revise the draft schedule as necessary; and distribute the final schedule by January 30^th of each year to ODNR, COE, MWCD and all organizations that requested a variance. The final schedule will be posted on the ODNR Division of Watercrafts Web site. All requests scheduled are tentative and contingent upon final approval by the COE and hydrologic and/or operational conditions that may occur after initial approval has been granted by ODNR. All decisions of the COE shall be final.