Kentucky Fish and Wildlife to host public listening sessions for input on boat dock, shoreline use regulations on department-owned lakes

FRANKFORT, Ky. (March.6, 2026) — The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources regulates boat docks and shoreline uses for 11 department/state-owned lakes it manages through a permit system.

Department officials are planning to recommend amending these permit regulations for its lakes and will hold a series of listening sessions to explain the current system and seek public input on potential changes. Permits are necessary to construct a boat dock or encroach upon the department-owned buffer zones around these state-owned lakes.

The next public listening session will concern Old Kingfisher Lake, New Kingfisher Lake and Carpenter Lake in Daviess County. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30-8 p.m. (CDT), Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Office, 4800 New Hartford Road, Owensboro, KY 42303. Those with property interests in the area, or users of these lakes, are encouraged to participate.

The regulation for discussion is 301 KAR 1:016, which governs boat docks and shoreline use activities at the subject lakes. A Guide for Construction on KDFWR Lakes and Land Buffer Areas is a summarization of the regulations in a more user-friendly format and can be found on the Access Structure and Private Boat Docks - Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife webpage on the department’s website (fw.ky.gov). Final recommendations incorporating public input will be presented to the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission at a future meeting for further action.

Those unable to attend the listening sessions may still provide comments to the Boat Dock/Shoreline Use Working Group. Written comments may be directed to “Boat Dock/Shoreline Use Public Comment” at Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, 1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601, or by email with “Boat Dock/Shoreline Use Public Comment” in the subject line to fwboatdocks@ky.gov. Please send public comments to arrive by Friday, April 10.

Commenters should include their first and last name, county and state of residence, lake(s) of interest, and if you are an adjacent landowner, angler, or both.

Additional listening sessions were held on Feb. 3 in Dry Ridge for public input on Boltz, Bullock Pen, Corinth and Kincaid lakes in northern Kentucky and on Feb. 24 in Frankfort for public input on Elmer Davis, Beaver Lake and Guist Creek Lake. A future meeting is planned for Lake Malone in Muhlenberg County on March 16, 2026, at the Merle Travis Music Center, 750 Cleaton Road Powderly, KY 42367.

Final recommendations incorporating public input will be presented to the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission at a future meeting for further action.​