Traffic Patterns

Just like a city street or a major highway, the Occoquan has a traffic pattern to direct shells up and down the river. On any given day, especially during peak use times, there can be a large amount of boat traffic. The following patterns should be used by all members:

• Traffic Flow: All traffic moving up and down river travels on the right hand side  of the river, staying about 50-100 feet away from shore at all times. This means, when traveling up river, all traffic stays on the Fairfax County Shore (Sandy Run shore), and when traveling down river, all traffic stays to the Prince William County shore (opposite shore to Sandy Run). After launching, stay to the Fairfax County side of the blue or orange barrel-sized buoy. Do not cross to the PW side until you’ve cleared the buoy.

• Race Course: While using the race course downstream of the Sandy Run dock, please follow the lane traffic pattern when buoys are in. When going downstream (heading toward the dam), stay within lanes 0 (unmarked area on Prince William side of the course), 1, and 2. When heading upstream, stay within lanes 5, 6, and 7 (unmarked area on Fairfax side of the course). Lanes 3 and 4 are not open for rowing. Although this is the commonly upheld traffic pattern, please remain vigilant for any other vessels not following the pattern, or any obstacles which may be in place. Refer to the image at the bottom of the page for the race course traffic pattern.

• Launching/Docking: Close to the main dock is a large, orange buoy floating in the  water to guide launching or docking. Stay to the right hand side of the buoy at all times leaving or approaching the dock. The buoy will be floating off the port oar right). When docking from upriver, stay on the Prince William (opposite) shore until directly across from the orange buoy. Then, checking for safety, cross the river, keeping to the right of the orange buoy.

Additional Considerations

• Do not try to hold the shortest course from headland to headland. Doing so may put you on the wrong side of the river.

• The river shallows along the inside of any turn; be careful of submerged objects.

• Proceeding upstream at Jacob’s Rock, pass to the Fairfax County side of the small red buoy where the yellow environmental buoy used to be.

• Proceeding upstream from below Fountainhead towards Ryons Dam. (Named after dam builder Fred B. Ryons. Picture of original dam here. May be referred to as Ryan's dam in some places).

• Do not cut the turn too closely: stay to the Fairfax side. There are submerged hazards on the PW side of the turn, and rowers coming downstream will give them a wide berth.

REMEMBER: Obeying the traffic pattern will prevent the possibility of collisions and possible emergency situations. Stay aware of your position on the Occoquan.