No state laws in Texas currently in the works. Each state has their own set of guidelines, and rules. No federal rules. Feds don't have any real jurisdiction over state waters for this type of action, and no agency would even tackle this. The ACOE has management responsibilities for their lakes/reservoirs, and as such can make specific waterbody rules with respect to boating, although they should to be concurrent with state laws or they will be susceptible to lawsuits.
Sounds like local ordinance/rule someone/group is try to float. Lake Conroe is managed by the San Jacinto River Authority, dealing with water volume, discharge, general regulation, etc. TPWD has jurisdiction on all wildlife issue, fishing limits, etc.; portion of Lake Conroe are still open to waterfowl hunting; TCEQ/EPA covers water quality as the overarching authorities.
The 50 foot rule is a general safety and noise abatement distance that pops up in all sorts of areas of guidelines. I've sat of some boards/committees were people have tried to float a 50 foot distance behind a vessel as a common sense because other vessels are not suppose to operation inside that distance. I wouldn't be surprised that there is some landowner group around Lake Conroe attempting to limit activities. Below is the current boating regulation section for Lake Conroe that could be amended to get such a rule included.
Section 2.04: Control of Speed. It is a violation of these Rules for
any Person to:
(1) operate a Vessel on the Reservoir at a speed in excess of a “No
Wake” speed within one hundred feet (100’) of any Private Structure,
Marina or other lakeshore facility or bridge, any moored, anchored or
occupied Vessel, or in an inlet in which people are swimming;
(2) operate a Vessel on the Reservoir at a speed in excess of a “No
Wake” speed within fifty feet (50’) of another Vessel, Personal Watercraft
or water skier (other than a water skier towed by such Vessel); or
(3) operate any Vessel on the Reservoir at a speed in excess of
minimum planing speed (the minimum speed at which a Vessel will achieve
and maintain a level plane) during the period from one half-hour after
sunset to one half-hour before sunrise.
Nick
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