Float Tubes not allowed?

I placed this thread here because my inquiry is about locations and only indirectly associated with fishing.

I find myself in a constant recruitment mode all the time when it comes to Float Tubing. I always deliver this line, "Float Tubing offers a level of accessibility that nothing else does. Even on many bodies of water that don't allow boats, allow Float Tubes."

However, I sometimes read posts that mention a particular location followed with, "Float Tubes aren't allowed there."

So, my question is this, "What could be the reasons for not allowing Float Tubes on a body of water?"

I always like to have a clear perspective on things and would appreciate any feedback and personal experiences on this subject. Here in Nebraska Float Tubing is practically unheard of as a means of getting on the water. So naturally there are no restrictions regarding the use of Float Tubes...yet.

If I know the reasons for not allowing Float Tubes in other places perhaps I might stand a chance at avoiding that occurrence here.

I can speak to Southern California.
Many of the the reservoirs here are for drinking water and the water companies don't want people swimming, or specifically, peeing in the water.

Jerdon wrote:I can speak to Southern California.
 Many of the the reservoirs here are for drinking water and the water companies don't want people swimming, or specifically, peeing in the water.

It makes sense that reservoirs are restricted. But I have known some reservoirs that allow boating and swimming. In fact there is a very large one just west of me here and they don't have any restrictions in regards to use activity.

To be clear I am looking for responses from anywhere.

bigfish wrote:

Jerdon wrote:I can speak to Southern California.
 Many of the the reservoirs here are for drinking water and the water companies don't want people swimming, or specifically, peeing in the water.

It makes sense that reservoirs are restricted. But I have known some reservoirs that allow boating and swimming. In fact there is a very large one just west of me here and they don't have any restrictions in regards to use activity.

To be clear I am looking for responses from anywhere.

Usualy it is due to drinking water restrictions but like you im lost on it sometimes.

There is a very larg new lake here in SOCAL called Diamond valley that allowes boating but does not let kayaks or float tubes citing no body contact.

I would really seriously think a little bit of pee is far less damaging then exhaust, oil and gass being in the water. But hey what do i know.

see but DVL does allow kayaks  

Kayaks and canoes, at least 10 feet long, non-bailing and with seating for all passengers inside the boat, are allowed. No sit-on-top kayaks are allowed.


Each State will be different and have various restrictions mainly due to drinking sources , danger levels , etc ... California has to be alittle more picky due to this terrible drought and the state not really having a reliable water plan in place for these conditions . Like others have said different water sources are used in various ways .


Wes

Hey fish PEE too...............GT

GT wrote:Hey fish PEE too...............GT

Not only that , but any type of wildlife that uses the water way and take into account when places do get rain and the runoff goes into the water , what is in that ?

California government wants to control every aspect of our lives. Unfortunately, we have just about every crazy environmental nut living here in California. They want to start "toilet to tap" for our drinking water however they do not want us to swim in our reservoirs. The environmental nuts wash 40% of all our drinking water out to the sea and keep some small streams flowing so that they can control the land. Once the stream drys up "wetlands" vanish and the government looses control over that section of land. Every year 800,000 acre feet of water gets washed out to the sea because the pumps that would divert the water from the Sacramento delta to our reservoirs kill 305 smelt fish a year or about 8 3 inch smelts a month and killing the farming industry because they can not get any water for their crops. I feel that I have already said too much and fear that the water detectives will be here about an hour after this is posted.

So I am thinking that, at least in California, some of the biggest reasons for restrictions are the environmental conservationist folks. That makes sense. I dealt with them a lot when I was in the Northwest.

This is just the sort of info I'm looking for. I am hoping that I can be better prepared to circumvent senseless restrictions here. In the last few years I have seen some environmentalist concerns popping up around here. Nebraska is an agricultural state and they get away things here you wouldn't believe!

I agree that some things need to be controlled. But I have witnessed time and again where the over reaching conservation groups take away land and water access for people like you and I. This usually happens because it is much easier to restrict access rather than put sensible usage programs in place.

I appreciate all input on this subject. It's all good stuff. I plan to be on alert and prepared for when I attend meetings concerning water restrictions. For years I watched as they systematically closed off land and water access in the Northwest. I don't intend to just watch that happen anymore. As fishermen and hunters a large portion of our license and tag money goes to conservation! It's only right that our voice and concerns be heard.

Keep it coming. If you have any input, knowledge or experience I would love to hear it.