BOATsmart! USA Knowledge Base

Module 05 - Navigating the Waterways

The Western Rivers System

The Mississippi River and its many branching streams that flow toward the Gulf of Mexico follow the ‘Western Rivers Marking System’. This is a variation of the Lateral System. The Western Rivers System has the following different features:

The buoys are NOT numbered.
The day beacons are NOT numbered, but they may have a sign below the marker that indicates the mileage from a fixed point (this is usually from the mouth of a river).
Obstruction Buoys and Safe Water Buoys are not used as markers on the Western Rivers System. This means you must be on high alert for obstacles and hazards at all times.
Western River Buoys and Beacons are not always marked on nautical charts because they tend to drift, due to fluctuating water levels, current speeds and shifting shoals.