Enthusiasts want CPW to loosen up

The Icon A5 seaplane is a stylish amphibious aircraft.

Extend the carbon-fiber composite wings from the body, tilt them horizontally, start the 100-horsepower Rotax engine, and you’re ready to take off.

However, in Colorado, there are limited bodies of water where seaplane pilots can legally land or take off, according to Jeremy Rogers, a Niwot resident who began flying his 2023 Icon A5 last year.

“Colorado is known as the adventure capital of the United States,” said Rogers, a sports chiropractor who has engaged in activities like kayaking, adventure running, and flying glider planes for years. “It’s unfortunate that seaplane pilots don’t have the same access to waterways as other states.”

According to the Seaplane Pilots Association, Colorado is ranked at the bottom in the nation — or close to it — for seaplane access. Colorado Parks and Wildlife enforces a 42-year ban on seaplane operations on the 3,200 lakes and reservoirs managed by the agency across the state.

Steven McCaughey, the executive director of the advocacy group, described Colorado as one of the worst states in terms of seaplane access. He stated, “It’s the state where we’ve spent the most effort trying to open up.”

Chris Arend, a spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, explained that both his agency and CPW are concerned about “safety and capacity conflicts between seaplanes and other recreational uses, resource limitations, and the potential spread of aquatic nuisance species.”

In recent years, aquatic nuisances like zebra and quagga mussels have been discovered in Colorado lakes and reservoirs, including areas of the Colorado River. These mussels can create various problems such as clogging reservoir structures, damaging boats, and disrupting the ecosystem. State wildlife officials have been working to prevent their spread, implementing programs that require pre-launch boat inspections at lakes.

Despite these challenges, Ray Hawkins, a retired Aurora resident who obtained his pilot’s license in 1970, continues to advocate for increased seaplane access in Colorado.

As the executive director of the Colorado Seaplane Initiative, Hawkins has secured agreements to use Lake Meredith Reservoir near Ordway and Kenney Reservoir near Rangely for seaplane operations. While these bodies of water are not under CPW jurisdiction, they are located far from the Front Range, according to Hawkins.

At 73 years old, Hawkins is pursuing potential legislation that could relax restrictions on seaplanes during the upcoming legislative session. This would mark his fourth attempt after unsuccessful efforts in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

For Hawkins, the issue boils down to fairness.

“If you permit power boats, then you can’t arbitrarily prohibit seaplanes,” he argued. “A seaplane is no different from a power boat — it just enters the water in a slightly different way.”

‘A Matter of Equity’

Back in 1983, the predecessor agencies of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Division of Wildlife and Colorado State Parks, rejected any aircraft landings or takeoffs from their lakes and reservoirs, including by “airplanes, helicopters, gliders, hot air balloons, hang gliders, parachutes, parasails, kite boards, kite tubes, zip lines, and similar devices or equipment.”

The agency has maintained this stance ever since and reaffirmed it in 2024, with the CPW commission rejecting a rule change.

“The purpose of the 1983 regulation was to ensure public safety by designating recreational uses that were compatible with the needs of park users and the surrounding neighbors and communities,” stated Arend.

According to CPW spokesman Travis Duncan, “there is no way to inspect a seaplane for aquatic nuisance species before it lands on a state water body.”

“In addition to the increased risk from (invasive species), aerial work often impacts and can cause increased risk for other recreational activities,” he added.

However, McCaughey believes that the seaplane community is willing to go the extra mile to address the state’s concerns. Pilots can land at a nearby airport if they are flying from another body of water, transport their plane by trailer to the lake, and decontaminate it in a similar manner to boat owners.

“We will meet or exceed the required inspection that the boating community goes through,” he assured.

In terms of safety, McCaughey highlighted that seaplanes are involved in significantly fewer accidents than boats. According to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, there were 406 seaplane accidents in the United States from 2008 to 2022, with only 77 of them being fatal. In comparison, in 2023 alone, the U.S. Coast Guard reported nearly 4,000 accidents involving boats, resulting in 564 fatalities.

McCaughey also emphasized that retrofitted seaplanes can be utilized for critical tasks, such as scooping water at lakes and reservoirs to assist in firefighting efforts.

He believes that Colorado wildlife officials are holding onto outdated policies that require a fresh perspective.

“’We don’t have seaplanes, we’ve never had seaplanes’ — we need to move past that,” McCaughey stated, reflecting the prevailing sentiment. “We are seeking reasonable access.”

Rogers, the adventure enthusiast, encountered similar resistance from water districts managing many other bodies of water in Colorado. He noted that these districts often adhere to state restrictions as a matter of routine.

“The water districts are reluctant to oversee another user class — that’s the core issue,” he observed.

Rogers, 51, frequently flies just across the state border into Nebraska to utilize Lake McConaughy for landings and takeoffs.

Alternatively, he ventures further out of state. On a recent occasion, Rogers was preparing to transport his Icon A5 in a trailer from his hangar at Vance Brand Airport in Longmont to Texas for maintenance.

“In Texas, you can land anywhere,” he remarked.

The restrictive seaplane environment in Colorado might prompt another effort to relax the rules at the statehouse — marking the fourth attempt in a decade. Kelly Sloan, who has advocated for the aviation industry at the Colorado Capitol, is devising a strategy to introduce a bill in the upcoming session.

“It’s a matter of equity,” he stated.

8,000 Seaplane Pilots in Colorado

Sloan noted that the seaplane industry is not a large constituency and may not be a top priority for lawmakers. However, the Seaplane Pilots Association reported that Colorado has 8,000 certified seaplane pilots, ranking ninth among U.S. states.

According to Sloan, the economic potential from these numbers is already accounted for, provided the regulatory environment in Colorado becomes more accommodating.

“I believe there is tourism business that is being missed out on due to the lack of water access,” he commented.

State Rep. Naquetta Ricks has taken an interest in the issue. Hawkins, the seaplane advocate, is a constituent of Ricks and has sought her assistance at the Gold Dome.

The lawmaker indicated that she may introduce a bill in the 2026 session.

“I would like to ensure that everyone can enjoy the resources we have,” Ricks expressed. “Other states have found a way — what is our plan?”

While some states witness significant seaplane activity — such as Alaska and Florida — these aircraft have not been without conflicts. Several years ago, a dispute arose on Seattle’s Lake Union over the allocation of space for seaplanes on the lake.

However, Hawkins emphasized that seaplane pilots are mindful of their impacts and are not requesting access to heavily-used recreational areas in Colorado. They are simply seeking access to a couple of bodies of water closer to Denver.