Operation Dry Water aims to curb impaired boating, focuses on boater safety
PHOENIX — The sizzling summer has arrived in Arizona and people are piling in their boats and flocking to area lakes and 
rivers.
To ensure the safety of all people on the water, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) will conduct a multi-agency sobriety checkpoint at Lake Havasu from Friday, June 26 to Sunday, June 28.
The checkpoint and patrols are being done to ensure boat operators are sober and to act as a reminder that operating a watercraft under the influence (OUI) is the most common contributing factor to injuries and fatalities on the nation's waterways. The effort is part of Operation Dry Water, a national campaign designed to bring attention to OUI on the nation's waterways.
Lake Havasu boaters passing through this weekend's checkpoint will be subject to a systematic safety inspection. Operators will also be screened for alcohol and/or drug impairment and to ensure that proper safety equipment, such as life jackets, throwable rescue devices and working fire extinguishers, are on board.
"Heading out on Arizona's waters can be fun for the whole family, but only if it's done safely and responsibly," said AZGFD Boating Law Administrator Tim Baumgarten. "Using alcohol or drugs can impair a boater's judgement, vision and reaction time, and can increase fatigue and the likelihood a person would not survive prolonged water exposure."
"Our goal is to promote safe and enjoyable boating on our waterways. By doing so, we hope to prevent the next tragic OUI-related incident on the water," Baumgarten added.
Since Operation Dry Water began in 2009, law enforcement officers nationwide have removed an estimated 1,875 boaters suspected of OUI from the nation's waterways and made contact with more than 604,000 boaters, according to the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators.
- The patrols at Lake Havasu are only one event taking place. Law enforcement agencies will be targeting impaired operators on waters statewide, including the following:
- The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and Game and Fish officers will also patrol Lake Pleasant and the Salt River reservoirs, including Apache, Bartlett, Canyon and Saguaro Lakes.
- The Gila County Sheriff's Office will patrol Roosevelt Lake.
- The La Paz County Sheriff's Office will patrol the Colorado River along with law enforcement from Yuma and Mohave counties.
- The Coconino County Sheriff's Office will patrol Lake Powell with Game and Fish and National Park Service officers.
While on the water, boaters should also keep in mind:
- State law requires all passengers 12 years old and younger to wear a life jacket while onboard and that each passenger must have a properly fitting, Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Drowning is the most common cause of death in boating incidents, always wear your life jacket.
- Anyone being towed by a boat or on a personal watercraft, such as a Sea Doo or Jet Ski, must wear a life jacket.
- Know the "Rules of the Road," navigation rules that identify who has the right of way and determine the required direction of travel.
- Never allow passengers to board or swim while the engine(s) are running. A boat's propeller can still be spinning while the motor is in neutral.
- Before starting the boat's engine, walk to the stern to make sure no one is near the propeller.
- Take extra precautions around other boats towing skiers and/or tubers.
- Never reverse a boat to pick up someone out of the water.
It's also recommended that all boat operators and passengers complete a boating safety course. For a list of courses hosted around the state, please visit www.azgfd.gov/boating.
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