[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 33, Volume 3] [Revised as of July 1, 2007] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 33CFR334.230] [Page 519-520] TITLE 33--NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS CHAPTER II--CORPS OF ENGINEERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PART 334_DANGER ZONE AND RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS--Table of Contents Sec. 334.230 Potomac River. (a) Naval Surface Weapons Center, Dahlgren, Va.--(1) The danger zone--(i) Lower zone. The entire portion of the lower Potomac River between a line from Point Lookout, Maryland, to Smith Point, Virginia, and a line from Buoy 14 (abreast of St. Clements Island) to a point near the northeast shore of Hollis Marsh at latitude 38[deg]10[min]00[sec], longitude 76[deg]45[min]23.5[sec]. Long range and aerial machine gun firing is normally conducted in this zone at infrequent intervals. (ii) Middle zone. Beginning at the intersection of the Potomac River Bridge with the Virginia shore; thence to Light 33; thence to latitude 38[deg]19[min]06[sec], longitude 76[deg]57[min]07[sec] which point is about 3,300 yards east-southeast of Light 30; thence to Line of Fire Buoy O, about 1,150 yards southwesterly of Swan Point; thence to Line of Fire Buoy M, about 1,700 yards south of Potomac View; thence to Line of Fire Buoy K, about 1,400 yards southwesterly of the lower end of Cobb Island; thence to Buoy 14, abreast of St. Clements Island, thence southwesterly to a point near the northeast shore of Hollis Marsh at latitude 38[deg]10[min]00[sec], longitude 76[deg]45[min]23.5[sec]; thence northwesterly to Line of Fire Buoy J, about 3,000 yards off Popes Creek, Virginia; thence to Line of Fire Buoy L, about 3,600 yards off Church Point; thence to Line of Fire Buoy N, about 900 yards off Colonial Beach; thence to Line of Fire Buoy P., about 1,000 yards off Bluff Point; thence northwest to latitude 38[deg]17[min]52[sec], longitude 77[deg]01[min]00[sec], a point of the Virginia shore on property of Naval Surface Weapons Center, a distance of about 3,800 yards; thence northerly along the shore of the Naval Surface Weapons Center to Baber Point, latitude 38[deg]18[min]42[sec], longitude 77[deg]01[min]45[sec]; and thence north-northwest to latitude 38[deg]19[min]09[sec], longitude 77[deg]02[min]08[sec], a point on the Main Dock at the Naval Surface Weapons Center. Firing is normally conducted in this zone daily except Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays. (iii) Upper zone. Beginning at Mathias Point, Va.; thence north to Light 5; thence in a northeasterly direction to Light 6; thence east- southeast to Lighted Buoy 2, thence east-southeast to a point on the Maryland shore at approximately latitude 38[deg]23[min]35[sec], longitude 76[deg]59[min]18[sec]; thence southerly with the Maryland shore to a line passing through Light 1 to the Virginia shore, parallel to the Potomac River Bridge; thence northerly with the Virginia shore to the point of beginning. Aerial bombing and strafing is normally conducted in this zone at infrequent intervals. (2) The regulations. (i) Firing normally takes place between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily except Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays, with infrequent night firing between 4:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. During a national emergency, firing will take place between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. daily except Sundays. (ii) When firing is in progress, no person, or fishing or oystering vessels shall operate within the danger zone affected unless so authorized by the Naval Surface Weapons Center's patrol boats. Oystering and fishing boats or other craft may cross the river in the danger zone only after they have reported to the patrol boat and received instructions as to when and where to cross. Deep-draft vessels using dredged [[Page 520]] channels and propelled by mechanical power at a speed greater than five miles per hour may proceed directly through the danger zones without restriction except when especially notified to the contrary. Unless instructed to the contrary by the patrol boat, small craft navigating up or down the Potomac River during firing hours shall proceed outside of the northeastern boundary of the Middle Danger Zone. All craft desiring to enter the Middle Danger Zone when proceeding in or out of Upper Machodoc Creek during firing hours will be instructed by the patrol boat; for those craft which desire to proceed in or out of Upper Machodoc Creek on a course between the western shore of the Potomac River and a line from the Main Dock of the Naval Surface Weapons Center to Line of Fire Buoy P, clearance will be granted to proceed upon request directed to the patrol boat. (iii) The regulations in this section shall be enforced by the Commander, Naval Surface Weapons Center and such agencies as he/she may designate. Patrol boats, in the execution of their mission assigned herein, shall display a square red flag during daylight hours for purposes of identification; at night time, a 32 point red light shall be displayed at the mast head. The Naval Surface Weapons Center (Range Control) can be contacted by Marine VHF radio (Channel 16) or by telephone (703) 663-8791. (b) Accotink Bay, Accotink Creek, and Pohick Bay; U.S. Military Reservation, Fort Belvoir, Va.--(1) The danger zone. The waters of Accotink Bay, Accotink Creek, and Pohick Bay, Virginia, within and adjacent to the target ranges of the U.S. Military Reservation, Fort Belvoir, as follows: All of Accotink Bay; all of Accotink Creek below the bridge which crosses Accotink Creek approximately 400 yards south of U.S. Highway No. 1; and that portion of Pohick Bay bordering its north shore. The mouth of Accotink Bay and that portion of Pohick Bay within the danger zone will be marked by the Post Commander with suitable warning buoys. (2) The regulations. (i) When firing affecting the area is in progress, the Post Commander will post guards at such locations that the waters in the danger zone may be observed and arrange signals whereby these guards may stop the firing should any person be seen in the danger zone. When firing is in progress, the Post Commander will cause to be displayed both on the east shore of Accotink Bay at its mouth and near the danger zone boundary on Accotink Creek a red streamer which shall be visible to a person in a boat near those points. (ii) Persons desiring to cross the waters in the danger zone shall first determine whether a red streamer is displayed on the east Shore of Accotink Bay at its mouth or near the danger zone boundary on Accotink Creek. If the red streamer is displayed, it will indicate that firing is in progress and that the waters in the danger zone are covered by rifle fire, and the area shall not be entered until the streamer is lowered. (iii) The Post Commander is hereby authorized by using such agencies and equipment necessary to stop all persons and boats at the boundary of the danger zone and prohibit their crossing the area until convenient to the firing schedule to do so. [13 FR 6916, Nov. 24, 1948, as amended at 13 FR 9557, Dec. 31, 1948; 21 FR 2817, May 1, 1956; 22 FR 2951, Apr. 26, 1957; 28 FR 349, Jan. 12, 1963; 48 FR 54597, Dec. 6, 1983. Redesignated at 50 FR 42696, Oct. 22, 1985, as amended at 62 FR 17552, Apr. 10, 1997]