Illinois Statutes Chapter 615. Waterways § 20/1. Obstructing waters by anchoring vessels, floating timber or sinking vessels prohibited; sunken vessel, duties of owner

§ 1. It is unlawful to tie up or anchor vessels or other water craft in public or navigable waters of the State of Illinois in such a manner as to prevent or obstruct in any manner, between the shore lines thereof, the passage of any vessels or craft; or to voluntarily or carelessly sink, or permit or cause to be sunk, vessels or other water craft in such waters; or to float loose timber and logs, or to float what is known as sack rafts of timber and logs in streams or channels actually navigated by commercial craft in such manner as to obstruct, impede, or endanger navigation.

Whenever a vessel, raft, or other water craft is wrecked and sunk in any such waters, accidentally or otherwise, it is the duty of the owner of such sunken craft to immediately mark it with a buoy or beacon during the day and a lighted lantern at night, and to maintain such marks until the sunken craft is removed or abandoned, and the neglect or failure of the said owner so to do is unlawful. It is the duty of the owner of any such sunken craft to commence the immediate removal of the same, and prosecute such removal diligently. Failure of an owner to so remove any such sunken craft, shall be considered as an abandonment of such craft, and subject the same to removal by the state as hereinafter provided.