High water levels on the St. Lawrence River have closed access to videophone stations used by small vessels to report arrival in the United States, according to a press release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Meanwhile, the St. Lawrence Seaway System has issued a reduced speed limit in the Brockville Narrows, near Ogdensburg, due to the high water levels.

The videophones in Ogdensburg, Waddington and Morristown are among the 17 that are now inaccessible.

“Due to the unusually high water levels in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, many of the seventeen videophone stations that are part of the Outlying Area Reporting System (OARS) are inaccessible to the boating public. To ensure the safety of the recreational boating community, the OARS program is being suspended until further notice,” the release says.

As a recreational boater on any U.S. or Canadian waterway, both the master of a vessel and any passengers must report their arrival In U.S. waters to U.S. Customs and Border Protection upon returning from Canadian soil or if they came in contact with a foreign vessel, the release says.

While OARS is suspended, the master of the vessel and any passengers must report their arrival via phone to 1-800-827-2851. To facilitate this reporting, please have ready the following information:

• Name, date of birth, and citizenship of the master and all passengers

• Vessel name and state-issued registration number

• Home port and current location

• If vessel is 30 feet or longer, U.S. Decal number

Reporting via the 1-800-827-2851 number is routinely available for I-68 landing permit holders and trusted traveler cardholders (i.e., NEXUS, Global Entry, FAST). Contact the nearest U.S. port of entry or visit http://www.cbp.gov for information on how to obtain an I-68 landing permit or trusted traveler document.