Lake patrols search for impaired boaters

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - The Ohio Department of Natural Resource' Division of Watercraft is among many state and local marine patrol agencies participating in a nationwide crackdown on alcohol-impaired boating known as Operation Dry Water from June 22-24.

This is the fourth year of the special marine enforcement effort initiated by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators.

Alcohol is involved in approximately one of every three boating-related accidents on Ohio waterways, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

In 2011, Division of Watercraft officers contacted 1,907 boaters and made eight arrests for boating while intoxicated during the weekend-long effort. A total of 112 other alcohol and boating-related violations were issued in addition to 503 boating safety warnings.  No boating-related fatalities were recorded in Ohio during Operation Dry Water weekend last year.

Drunk boaters are not the only focus of the crackdown. Drug-impaired boating and drug-related arrests are more prevalent today on the nation's waterways, which increases the risk to boating safety for all boaters.