The Fourth of July holiday is one of the busiest on Iowa’s waterways, and state, local, and federal law enforcement are partnering that weekend for an enhanced enforcement initiative on boating while intoxicated. Operation Dry Water begins on Saturday, July 2, and continues through Monday, July 4. Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Boating Administrator Susan Stocker says, “One-third of all boating fatalities nationally involved alcohol, and many of those victims were innocent bystanders. The effects of alcohol can be intensified when combined with wind and wave action and an extended time spent in the sun.” She notes alcohol’s effect on judgment, reaction time, balance, and vision can combine to become particularly dangerous on a crowded waterway. The DNR is joining forces with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers, and sheriff’s offices statewide to target impaired boaters during the holiday weekend. Last year, more than 1,800 vessels containing over 6,200 boaters received 542 citations or warnings during Operation Dry Water.
