From Local Sources

Boaters preparing for the Independence Day holiday should be aware that Indiana Department of Natural Resources conservation officers will be on high alert for violations of boating-under-the-influence laws as part of national Operation Dry Water.

Operation Dry Water — operationdrywater.org — is a year-round program and will be enforced even more July 3-5.

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 boaters. 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.

Operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal on all bodies of water, and can lead to serious injuries and consequences. In Indiana, it is illegal to operate a vessel with a blood alcohol concent of .08 or higher, the same BAC for land vehicles.

Conservation Officers remind boaters to always boat sober and to wear a life jacket when on the water.