Save The River! Thousand Islands - Clayton NY on the St. Lawrence River

Save The River! is a non-profit, member-based environmental organization whose mission is to preserve and protect the ecological integrity of the Upper St. Lawrence River through advocacy, education and research.

Marking the River’s Most Dangerous Shoals

In partnership with the Thousand Island Association, Save The River volunteers adopt and place markers on some of the most dangerous shoals on the River.

The primary objective of our shoal marking program is to heighten boater’s awareness of the importance of careful navigation throughout the Thousand Islands region. Our shoal marking program is NOT intended, nor should it be used for navigational purposes at any time, and boaters should be aware that only a small percentage of shoals are marked each season.

Save The River strongly encourages all boaters to use navigation charts when on the river and to be aware that for a variety reasons, shoal markers do break loose from time to time.  As such, previously marked shoals may become unmarked for an extended period of time.  Due to the unpredictability of this occurring, Save The River disclaims any liability for the absence of any of our shoal markers for any reason.

See what shoals Thousand Island Association and Save The River work to mark every year with this interactive map. Thank you to the team at Wavve Boating for helping to create this map for us to share.

Be a Safe Boater

Boating on the St. Lawrence River can be difficult for even the most experienced mariners. To be as safe as possible, boaters should always:

  • Use navigation charts at all times. Remember not all shoals are marked!
  • Pay careful attention to weather forecasts.
  • Wear life preservers and be sure your boat has appropriate safety equipment.

Interested in Volunteering?

We are always looking for volunteers to help with the spring placement and fall removal of shoal markers. We aim to have the markers in place by May 15th and leave them in place until October 15th. If you are on the river and available in May and/or October please contact Chelsea at outreach@savetheriver.org to learn more.

Found a Marker?

If you find a marker that has come loose from its marked location, contact Save The River at (315) 686-2010 to have it picked up and placed back in its appropriate location.