A coalition of aviation organizations is calling on the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) to lift its longstanding ban on seaplane operations at two major Colorado reservoirs.
In a formal letter submitted May 20 to the USBR’s Western Colorado office, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Seaplane Pilots Association, Experimental Aircraft Association and Colorado Pilots Association requested revisions to the Resource Management Plans for Navajo and McPhee Reservoirs. The groups argue the current restrictions are outdated, unsupported by safety data and unfairly discriminate against seaplanes as a mode of recreational access.
“Seaplanes have served the public for over 110 years,” the groups wrote, noting their usefulness in firefighting, emergency transport, fish stocking and search and rescue. Recreational flying, they argue, should be treated on equal footing with other forms of water recreation already permitted on these reservoirs.
The coalition cited safety data showing that Colorado averages 13.7 boating-related fatalities per year—more than double the national average for seaplane-related fatalities. Yet, seaplanes remain the only recreational activity explicitly banned by the USBR’s Upper Colorado Region.
The letter also addresses concerns about aquatic invasive species. The Seaplane Pilots Association has developed an inspection and decontamination training program specifically for seaplane pilots, and the total number of active seaplanes in Colorado remains minuscule compared to the more than 500,000 registered boats in the state.
“The evidence does not support continued discrimination against seaplane operations,” the groups conclude, asking the USBR to begin the formal process of revising the current policy.
