The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency participated in the eighth annual Operation Dry Water weekend which has been held the weekend prior to the July 4 holiday since its inception.
Operation Dry Water is a national weekend of Boating Under the Influence (BUI) awareness and enforcement campaign directed toward reducing alcohol and drug-related accidents and fatalities. It is held at the time to give BUI enforcement high visibility during the peak boating season.
Reports from the TWRA’s four regions indicated 10 boating BUI arrests across the state, the same number as recorded in 2015 during the weekend. TWRA boating officers inspected 4,078 vessels, issued 175 citations, 113 warnings, and assisted 94 boaters. There were four injury accidents and three property damage accidents reported.
TWRA officials remind all those who visit the state’s waterways for the July 4 holiday to be safe for what is annually one of the busiest boating times of the year.
TWRA officials emphasize the use of personal flotation devices (PFDs) while boating in a safe and responsible manner. The TWRA wants all those who visit the waterways to have an enjoyable time. However, TWRA officers will be on the watch for dangerous boating behavior, such as BUI operators and other reckless operation.
