Marine Unit

The Boating Safety Unit is responsible for marine enforcement and rescue activities on all of the counties numerous waterways. This is accomplished by enforcement of County, State and Federal Boating Laws, vessel inspections, and public education.

The largest and most challenging body of water is Lake Tahoe where we have a 54 square mile jurisdiction on the lake's South end. This includes one of the lake's most popular attractions, Emerald Bay, where a major portion of the lake's boating activity occurs. At an elevation of over 6200 feet in the Sierras and with depths of over 1600 feet, this lake can be treacherous. Due to unpredictable weather conditions, and water temperatures as low as 44 degrees, unprepared boaters often find themselves facing circumstances which may be deadly. In order to properly patrol this lake, the department operates a 27 ft. vessel designed to handle a marine environment similar to the Alaskan coast.

Other popular areas include the Crystal Basin, Jenkinson Lake, and Folsom Lake Recreational Area, which are used as a haven by El Dorado County and Sacramento Valley residents. These lakes are patrolled together with allied agencies by boat, jet boats, and by Personal Watercraft.

El Dorado County is unique in that we conduct a Whitewater Rafting Patrol on a 20-mile stretch of the South Fork American River during peak season. This is one of very few Whitewater Patrols operated by a Sheriff's Department in the nation. This patrol navigates over Class IV rapids and has contact with over 150,000 rafters during the rafting season which runs from May to September.

Related Information

• Department of Boating and Waterways - Boating safety and education website