The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) announced today that Natural Resources Police officers will participate in Operation Dry Water, a national awareness and enforcement campaign to prevent alcohol- and drug-related incidents, injuries and fatalities during the Fourth of July weekend.

The campaign, which runs July 4-6, is coordinated nationally by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and is produced under a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. During the weekend, WVDNR Police officers will patrol West Virginia’s lakes, rivers and reservoirs looking for boaters whose blood alcohol concentration (BAC) meets or exceeds the legal limit of 0.08.

“We want everyone to have a great time on the water, but safety has to come first,” said WVDNR Police Capt. Warren Goodson. “Boating under the influence puts everyone at risk. If you plan to drink, plan ahead and designate a sober operator.”

Alcohol use remains the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating incidents, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Impairment on the water is often intensified by sun, wind, vibration and wave motion, which can quickly affect judgment, vision and balance.

Operating a boat with a BAC of 0.08 or higher is illegal under both state and federal law. BUI penalties in West Virginia may include fines, jail time, boat impoundment and the loss of boating or driving privileges.

Since the launch of Operation Dry Water in 2009, law enforcement officers have interacted with more than 3 million boaters and removed more than 7,400 impaired operators from U.S. waterways. In 2024 alone, officers from 485 agencies made 584 BUI arrests and more than 43,000 citations or warnings.

The WVDNR is also reminding boaters to:

• Check safety equipment before launching, including navigation lights and horns.
• Wear a life jacket. In 2023, 87% of drowning victims in recreational boating accidents were not wearing one.
• Avoid swimming near docks or boats connected to shore power to reduce the risk of electric shock drowning.

Boaters born after Dec. 31, 1986, must complete a NASBLA-approved boating safety education course before operating a motorboat or personal watercraft on West Virginia waters. To learn more, visit WVdnr.gov/boater-education. For more information about Operation Dry Water, visit operationdrywater.org.