---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 6873"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "6873"
heading: "Data consolidation and publication"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/6873"
units:
  - "Chapter 87B — Modernizing Access to Public Waters"
---

# §6873. Data consolidation and publication

- (a) **Federal waterway restrictions—** Not later than 5 years after December 26, 2025, each of the [Secretaries](/usc/16/6871.md?p=5), to the maximum extent practicable, shall digitize and make publicly available online, as applicable, geographic information system data that includes, with respect to [Federal waterway restrictions](/usc/16/6871.md?p=4)—
  - (1) status information with respect to the conditions under which [Federal waterways](/usc/16/6871.md?p=3) are open or closed to entry or watercraft, including watercraft inspection, decontamination requirements, low-elevation aircraft, or diving;
  - (2) the dates on which [Federal waterways](/usc/16/6871.md?p=3) are seasonally closed to entry or watercraft;
  - (3) the [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) of [Federal waterways](/usc/16/6871.md?p=3) with restrictions on motorized propulsion, horsepower, or fuel type;
  - (4) the [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) of [Federal waterways](/usc/16/6871.md?p=3) with anchoring restrictions, no wake zones, exclusion zones, danger [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A), or vessel speed restrictions;
  - (5) [Federal waterway restrictions](/usc/16/6871.md?p=4) on the direction of travel, including upstream or downstream travel; and
  - (6) the uses, including by watercraft, that are restricted on each [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) of a [Federal waterway](/usc/16/6871.md?p=3), including the permissibility of—
    - (A) canoes and other paddlecraft;
    - (B) rafts and driftboats;
    - (C) motorboats;
    - (D) personal watercraft;
    - (E) airboats;
    - (F) amphibious aircraft;
    - (G) hovercraft;
    - (H) oversnow vehicles and other motorized vehicles on frozen bodies of water;
    - (I) oceangoing ships;
    - (J) swimming; and
    - (K) other applicable recreational activities, as determined to be appropriate by the [Secretaries](/usc/16/6871.md?p=5).
- (b) **Federal waterway access and navigation information—** Not later than 5 years after December 26, 2025, each of the [Secretaries](/usc/16/6871.md?p=5), to the maximum extent practicable, shall digitize and make publicly available online, as applicable, geographic information system data that includes, with respect to [Federal waterway](/usc/16/6871.md?p=3) access and navigation information—
  - (1)
    - (A) the location of boat ramps, portages, and fishing access sites under the authority of the [Federal land or water management agency](/usc/16/6871.md?p=2); and
    - (B) the identification of the dates on which the facilities and sites identified under [subparagraph (A)](#b-1-A) are open or closed, as applicable; and
  - (2) bathymetric information and depth charts, as feasible.
- (c) **Federal fishing restrictions—** Not later than 5 years after December 26, 2025, each of the [Secretaries](/usc/16/6871.md?p=5), to the maximum extent practicable, shall digitize and make publicly available online geographic information system data that describes, with respect to [Federal fishing restrictions](/usc/16/6871.md?p=1)—
  - (1) the location and geographic boundaries of [Federal fishing restrictions](/usc/16/6871.md?p=1) on recreational and commercial fishing, including—
    - (A) full or partial closures;
    - (B) no-[take](/usc/16/3102.md?p=18) zones; and
    - (C) [Federal fishing restrictions](/usc/16/6871.md?p=1) within or surrounding marine protected [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A);
  - (2) [Federal fishing restrictions](/usc/16/6871.md?p=1) on the use of specific types of equipment or bait; and
  - (3) Federal requirements with respect to catch and release.
- (d) **Public comment—** The [Secretaries](/usc/16/6871.md?p=5) shall develop a process to allow members of the public to submit questions or comments regarding the information described in subsections [(a)](#a) and [(b)](#b).
- (e) **Updates—** The [Secretaries](/usc/16/6871.md?p=5), to the maximum extent practicable, shall update—
  - (1) the data described in subsections [(a)](#a) and [(b)](#b) not less frequently than 2 times per year; and
  - (2) the data described in [subsection (c)](#c) in real time as changes go into effect.
- (f) **Exclusion—** This section shall not apply to irrigation canals and flowage easements.
- (g) **Disclosure—** Any geographic information system data made publicly available under this section shall not disclose information regarding the nature, location, character, or ownership of historic, paleontological, or archaeological resources, consistent with applicable law.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 119–62, § 4, Dec. 26, 2025, 139 Stat. 1980.)