Law enforcement officers across the country will be on heightened alert for those in violation of boating under the influence laws as part of the annual Operation Dry Water weekend, July 2 – 4, 2021. Operation Dry Water (ODW) is a year-round boating under the influence awareness and enforcement campaign focused on reducing the number of alcohol- and drug-related incidents and fatalities. The U.S. Coast Guard, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies, recreational boating safety advocates and the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) are gearing up to spread awareness and prevent tragedies related to boating under the influence (BUI).
Alcohol use continues to be the leading contributing factor in recreational boating fatalities.1 Since the commencement of the Operation Dry Water campaign in 2009, law enforcement officers across the nation have removed over 4,700 impaired operators from our nation’s waterways, preventing dangerous and potentially catastrophic consequences. Law enforcement agencies from every U.S. state and territory are expected to participate in the Operation Dry Water campaign, focusing their efforts on detecting impaired boaters and educating the public about the dangers of boating under the influence. In 2020, 620 agencies from every state and territory took part in the Operation Dry Water weekend.
