Overview
- Multiple state natural resources and marine law enforcement agencies announced they will step up on-water patrols and targeted enforcement for Operation Dry Water from July 3–5 to remove impaired vessel operators.
- Boaters should expect compliance checks and field sobriety tests on busy lakes and reservoirs, with officers able to collect breath, blood or urine samples after failed tests.
- Legal limits and penalties vary by state but can include fines, jail time and loss of boating privileges; examples cited include a 0.08% BAC in North Dakota and a 0.05% BAC threshold in Utah for boat operation.
- Agencies stressed that alcohol and failure to wear life jackets are leading factors in boating deaths and urged the public to report suspected impaired operators to 911 with identifying details.
- Operation Dry Water is a nationally coordinated campaign sponsored by NASBLA and the U.S. Coast Guard that began in 2009 and has led to thousands of on‑water BUI arrests while combining enforcement with public education.