Press Release

WARSAW — Boaters preparing for Independence Day weekend should be aware that Indiana conservation officers will be on alert for violations of boating under the influence in a program called Operation Dry Water.

Operation Dry Water, a year-round program, will be in heightened effect beginning Friday, July 2 and continuing through Sunday.

Conservation officers, in partnership with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and the U.S. Coast Guard, will focus on educating boaters about safe boating practices, including keeping alcohol off the boat, for both operators and passengers.

Officers will be on the lookout for impaired people driving boats. Boaters will notice an overall increase in patrols, both on the water and at recreational boating checkpoints, to remove dangerous and impaired boaters from the waterways.

“Each year we are faced with incidents and tragedies that could have been avoided if it weren’t for the presence of drugs or alcohol,” said Indiana Boating Law Administrator Lieutenant Kenton Turner.

“As a part of the community ourselves, we want to ensure that recreational boaters, paddlers, and anyone else enjoying our waterways have a safe place to spend their time,” Turner said.

Operating a vessel under the influence of drugs or alcohol is illegal on all bodies of water. In Indiana, it is illegal to operate a vessel with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. Conservation officers remind boaters to always boat sober and to wear a life jacket when on or around the water.

Visit operationdrywater.org for more information about boating under the influence.