There are 693 properties bordering the lake and canals.  These properties are referred to as “shareholder” properties.  They are charged an annual assessment for maintaining and operating the lake.  In addition, they are issued one share of stock (voting stock) for each 10 feet or major fraction of 10 feet of lake frontage property.

Renewal notices are mailed the last week of January.  Assessments are due February 28th.  The invoice is billed on a calendar year, from January 1st through December 31st.

Assessment rates are comprised of two components.  One part is based on the number of linear feet of lake frontage owned by each shareholder.  The second component is a flat fee of equal amount for each shareholder.  

Yes.  All shareholder homes have a $5,000 transfer fee due from the new buyer. In addition, any past due assessments and fees must be paid at closing.  Please have the escrow office contact Christina for payoff information.  

All waterfront construction requires a permit from the Lake Oswego Corporation.  You may download the Development Procedures and Required Forms here. Please call the LOC office for more information.

IMPORTANT:

• All heights on any construction will be measured from the waterline of 98.6 feet.  Please call the LOC at 503 636-1422 for the current water elevation.

• Official approval on accepted plans will not be made until the LOC has received 3 copies of builder’s plans, one of which will be retained on file by the LOC.

• In addition, please provide an electronic copy (11 x 17) of your plans via email.

• A completed and signed LOC Building Permit form must be submitted with plans.

• Neighbors on either side of your property must be notified of your construction plans. Your neighbors’ signatures on the builder’s plans will meet this requirement.

• Shareholders must obtain a City of Lake Oswego Building Permit prior to construction, if necessary.

The LOC has a 10’ x 12’, maximum capacity 2500 pound barge that is available for rental.  Contact Gabe Winfrey at 503 636-1422 or gabe.winfrey@lakecorp.com for availability and to schedule.  Click here for the Rental Fees, Rental Forms, Waiver & Release forms (all forms must be complete prior to scheduling).  Larger barges are available for hire by contractors. 

Although Oswego Lake has limited access, activities remain subject to the administrative rules of the state.

The City of Lake Oswego Swim Park is open to all Lake Oswego residents.  For additional information you can contact the Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation Department at 503-675-2549 or visit: http://www.ci.oswego.or.us/parksrec/lake-oswego-swim-park.

The Lake Grove Swim Park is open to those residents who live within the boundaries of the old Lake Grove School District.   It is operated by the Lake Oswego School District.  A link to the map can be found at the bottom of the Easement Page here.  You may also contact the LOSD at 503 635-0355 for additional information.

Please note: the swim parks are not operated by the LOC.  Any specific questions should be directed to the Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation Department or the Lake Oswego School District.

YES.  Please call the LOC marina to schedule.  503 636-1422.

You may make your payment online and by mail.  

Lake User records can be updated on your annual Registration for Lake User form or by logging into your account here.  If you have forgotten your User Name (Shareholders = Last Name / Easement Members = email address), call Christina at 503 636-1422 or email her at Christina.stauffer@lakecorp.com and you will receive an email with login information.  Additionally, you can phone or email any updates.

Shareholders are issued a User Name and password when shares are issued.  Easement members are issued a User Name and password upon registration with the LOC.  These are issued electronically.  To complete the process the LOC must have a current email address on file.

A drawdown is when the lake is lowered by way of our Flume Line and / or dam by 10’ or more to enable maintenance of in-water structures. Currently, we are on a 3-year cycle. Drawdowns are generally from October 1 – December 31.

A Shareholder Forum session is held prior to each regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting on the second Tuesday of the month.  The session is limited to 30 minutes.  The purpose is to receive input either in the form of questions addressed to the Board or in the form of presentations.  Presenters are asked to specify the time needed for their presentations.

Attendance is allowed by request only so the Board can be sure there are adequate facilities and time for attendees.  Requests should be directed to the Lake Manager, Jeff Ward at the LOC office.  Requests need to be made at least 3 days before the meeting.  A confirmation of attendance will be provided at least 48 hours before the meeting.  Space is available for three (3) attendees.  In cases where there are more requests than space and/or time can accommodate, preference will be given to new requests by people who have not previously had an opportunity to address the Board.   Minutes are not taken during Open Forum sessions.  

Easements provide access to property owners in the City of Lake Oswego who have special deeded lake access privileges.  Eligibility for lake access privileges to use Oswego Lake are determined by references to historical documents, including the express granting of lake access privileges by Oregon Iron and Steel Company in recorded, real property instruments.  Lake access privileges cannot be sold, purchased or transferred.
LOC owns 20 lakeside properties at various locations around the lake to allow eligible easement members to exercise lake access privileges.  There are over 3,000 homes in Lake Oswego whose residents are eligible to exercise lake access privileges.  Each easement is governed by its own individual set of by-laws and has its own volunteer board of directors.  Facilities and rate structures vary from easement to easement.  

Yes.  If you are a current, paid, easement member you can moor a boat at LO Landing, located in the two story office building next to the LOC marina.  They may also have a waiting list, but typically their slips turn over more rapidly than those at the easements.  You can reach them at 503 545-8870 or lo500@comcast.net  

You also have the option to “day use.”  Limitations are: 

You must pull your boat from the lake prior to the LOC Marina’s closing time (7 pm nightly during the summer).
The LOC does not have parking for your truck or trailer on the premises.
Boats entering the lake must either have an intact and unaltered wire clip or be decontaminated prior to launch.

Contact information for easement officers is located on each easements webpage.  Contact the easement(s) you are eligible to join and decide which easement you want to join.  Fill out their application and pay their dues.  In addition, you need to register with the LOC.  You will need to fill out the New Easement Member Packet and include your LOC dues with your registration.  

No. You can only join the easement(s) that were designated to your property in the original granting deed.

You can refer to our Easement Map on the Easement Page of the website for a general idea.  However, to confirm access you must call the LOC office at 503 636-1422.  We have a database of properties with deeded rights.  You will need to have the property address to determine access eligibility.

The marina dispenses Non-Ethenol Regular (87) and Premium (92) fuel.  As a general rule, most boats run on Regular.

The marina is the heart of the lake operations.  There is a small convenience store that offers snacks, a limited variety of boat safety gear and the only place to fuel your boat on the lake.  The marina is also where you license your watercraft, take your written boating exam and launch your boat.

The wire tie is our way of monitoring boats and trailers coming in and out of the lake to determine whether they need to be steam cleaned.  If the wire tie is intact and unaltered, it indicates that the boat has not left the trailer and so has not been launched in another body of water and does not require steam cleaning to launch.

There are a number of invasive plants in other bodies of water, such as the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, that are not currently in the lake.  Milfoil is an example of one that grows rapidly and costs a great deal of money to keep from spreading.  Requiring boats and trailers to be steam cleaned prior to launch is our best defense in keeping new invasive plant problems out of our lake.

There are three LOC approved vendors that can clean your boat and attached the required LOC tag.  

West One Marine                                                 221 Foothills Road, Lake Oswego                503 702-0450
Vulcan Marine Service                                         17280 Boones Ferry Rd, Lake Oswego        503 635-3626
River City Boat Sales & Marine Services            26177 Boones Ferry Landing, Aurora            503 797-2222
 

You may schedule an appointment to launch your boat when the following items are complete:

• All assessments, late fees & attorney fees, if any, must be current.
• A current boat insurance declaration page must be on file.
• A copy of your boat title or temporary title must be on file.
• A completed Wake Enhancement Device Certification & Agreement must be on file.
• All required State and / or LOC licensing must be current and properly displayed.
• Must have a licensed operator listed on record.

Operator Licenses (Powerboats only – not required for non-power vessels)

Powerboat operators must be licensed to operate a powerboat on Oswego Lake.  Operator’s licenses are valid for a lifetime as is the Oregon State Marine Board Boater Education Card.  However, if you have been off the lake for more than two years you will need to retake the written exam.

To receive an operator license you must have an Oregon State Marine Board Boater Education Card, take and pass the LOC written exam and complete the LOC driving exam within 60 days.

(REMINDER - Everyone, regardless of age, must carry an Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB) Boater Education Card. For full details and information on how to study for this exam, visit the OSMB’s website at www.oregon.gov/OSMB.  Boater education material can also be picked up in the marina)

You can take the Oregon State Marine Board Boater Education course offered by the Boat U.S. Foundation.  

The Boat US Foundation’s Online Boating Safety Course is the only free course approved by the Oregon State Marine Board.   If you pass the test, print out your certificate of completion (make a copy) and Boater Education Card application (in PDF). Fill out the application form and include it with your certificate of completion and a check/money order for $10 to the Marine Board. This is a one-time fee and the card is good for life.

You must bring a copy of your certificate of completion or your Boater Education Card with you to the LOC marina when you take your LOC written exam.  The exam covers the Lake Oswego Corporation Rules & Regulations of Oswego Lake.  You do not need an appointment to take the written exam during regular marina hours.

Upon completion of the LOC written exam you have 60 days to take the driving portion of the exam to receive your Standard Operator’s License.  Driving exams are by appointment only.

Wake Enhancing Devices are not allowed on the lake.  Some manufacturers offer devices to make boat wakes larger.  A larger boat wake can make the lake very choppy and potentially unsafe or unusable for some users (canoes, water skiers, etc).  Additionally, property damage can occur to shoreline structures resulting in degraded water quality.  To help in managing wakes, boats with wake enhancement devices will not be allowed to operate on the lake. 

The LOC requires disabling procedures to be performed on boats with wake enhancement devices before they can be operated on the lake. Click here for form.

BOATS WITH BUILT-IN BALLAST SYSTEMS 

1. Remove fuses that control system. 
2. Plug intake hoses with flat plugs under hull. 
3. Remove impellers that fill the systems. 
4. Remove hoses to ballast tanks and plug the inlets. 
5. Disconnect any wires to fill systems (at the switches and at the pump). 
6. Remove dashboard switches and replace with blanks. 

BOATS WITH WEDGES, PLATES, OR OTHER MECHANICAL DEVICES 

1. Remove wedge or plate. 
2. Remove handle for adjusting plate. 
3. Remove any electrical controls as described above. 
4. Put a pin lock through the mounting bracket plate and give the key to the boat owner. 

Owners of boats retrofitted with water bladders such as "Fat Sacks" must have the water bladders removed.  Passive wake enhancement is also not allowed. The most common passive devices are sand bags or free weights.  Lead plating is another form of passive device. 

You can use any boat mechanic to make the changes as long as the technician signs the LOC Wake Enhancement Device Certification and Agreement confirming the changes were made following our guidelines.  All work performed on the boat must be listed on the Agreement.  You cannot certify your own boat.  If you are caught using water bladders, passive wake enhancing devices, or any other wake enhancing devices, your boat will be subject to removal from the Lake for twelve months with no exceptions. 

BOATS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED AS WAKE ENHANCING DEVICES 

Manufacturers are designing boats smaller than 22.0 feet to produce massive wakes.  No boat designed to produce these large wakes will be licensed on the lake.  The hull design characteristics and description published by the boat manufacturer to market the boat will determine whether a boat qualifies for use on the lake. Please check with LOC staff before purchasing your boat to ensure it is eligible to be licensed for use on the lake. 

Non-Power Watercraft Registration

Call or email Christina or the LOC marina with the watercraft information. (IE: Kayak – blue, SUP – white).  The vessel will be added to your record and new lake plates and current year stickers will be mailed to you.

Powerboat Registration 

All boats on Oswego Lake must have the following documentation before licenses will be issued:

• Copy of Oregon State Boat Title (or temporary title).  The boat must be solely owned by a Shareholder (or renter of the Shareholder’s residential property) with deeded Lake or Easement rights.  Christina is an authorized agent of the Oregon State Board Marine and can process your title transfer by appointment.
   
• Copy of current boat insurance declaration page.  Minimum LOC liability coverage requirement is $500k.  Please list LOC, PO Box 203, Lake Oswego OR 97034 as interested party so that we receive the current declaration page upon renewal.
   
• Properly displayed State of Oregon and LOC boat numbers.  The Oregon State Marine Board provides rules on registration number and sticker placement.  Click here for more information. 
   
• Provide a completed Wake Enhancement Device Certification & Agreement form confirming your boat’s wake enhancement device has been disabled.  
   
• All boats and trailers entering Oswego Lake must be taken to an official LOC approved vendor to be decontaminated to guard against non-native plant and animal species which could be harmful to the lake.  Click here for LOC Invasive Species Management Plan.  Click here for Stop Oregon Invaders.  You will receive a wire clip to indicate that your boat has been decontaminated.
   
• River City Boat Sales & Marine Services    
  26177 Boones Ferry Landing,  Aurora    
  503 887-7339
   
• West One Marine  
  221 Foothills Road,  Lake Oswego    
  503 702-0450
   
• Vulcan Marine    
  17280 SW Boones Ferry Rd,  Lake Oswego    
  503 620-2195
   
• West Coast Classic Boat Restorations    
  ​4112 NE 66th Ave, Vancouver    
  360 735-5680
   
• Boats leaving Oswego Lake will receive a wire clip so they can re-enter the lake without being decontaminated again providing the clip is intact and unaltered.  It is your responsibility to be sure you have been clipped prior to leaving the marina lot.

YES!  Pontoon boats shall not exceed 22 feet 6 inches in length overall.  All other boats shall not exceed 22 feet 0 inches in hull length overall, including pickle-fork bows and excluding removable swim platforms.  Click here for Boat Buying Tips.

No boat shall exceed 3500 lbs dry gross weight as described by the manufacturer’s website or Owner’s Manual specs.

If you have lost your tags, please first thoroughly check your home, office, boat, car etc. as we purchase a limited number of tags each year.  If you are still unable to locate your tags, call the marina and request a new set.  A fee of $20 is assessed for lost tags.

There may be several reasons. Please contact the LOC marina to find out the specifics.  The most common are:

• LOC Fees are not paid.
• Easement fees have not been paid.
• A current boat insurance declaration page is needed.
• A copy of your boat title is missing.
• No valid operator is listed on record.

All watercraft, both power and non-power, must be licensed to operate on Oswego Lake.  Watercraft licenses expire each year on December 31st and must be renewed prior to operation the following year.

Renewal notices are mailed the last week of January.  Assessments are due February 28th.  Upon receipt of full payment and the required current insurance declaration page, the LOC will issue watercraft licenses for year.  

One powerboat and any number of non-power watercraft licenses are included with a paid assessment.  Additional powerboats carry a fee of $170 for 9.9 hp or less, $400 for 10 hp or more.  

Easement members pay $1,200 for powerboat membership or $100 for non-power / swim only.  In addition to the above requirements, easement members must pay all fees due to their association prior to issuance of current year licenses.

LOC License stickers are color coded to correspond with the State of Oregon Marine Board boat licenses.