“Operation Dry Water” begins this weekend for July 4 holiday

JACKSON, Tenn. — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is making sure you’re informed of the risks of boating under the influence.

“Operation Dry Water” is a nationwide awareness campaign and enforcement for boating under the influence.

In honor of a busy July 4 weekend for boating, the TWRA is focusing on enforcement from July 2 through July 5 by hosting a boating safety class.

Boating officer Miranda Garner says this class is important, as TWRA officers have already made 44 BUI arrests.

She says most people don’t understand the dangers of operating a boat while intoxicated.

“Whenever you consume alcohol on the water, the effects of it, just skyrocket because you have all these stress factors like the sun, the heat, the waves, the wind and the sounds. It just amplifies those side effects of consuming alcohol,” Garner says.

For more information on “Operation Dry Water” or how to attend a boating safety class, click here.