Operation Dry Water Returns to Enforce Safe Boating Practices Nationwide

Operation Dry Water is a year-round boating under the influence awareness and enforcement campaign focused on reducing the number of alcohol- and drug-related incidents and fatalities. Law enforcement agencies nationwide will participate in the annual Operation Dry Water (ODW) heightened awareness and enforcement weekend, taking place July 4–6, 2025. Coordinated by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, the campaign is a cornerstone of national efforts to combat boating under the influence (BUI).
Operation Dry Water addresses a critical safety issue as alcohol remains the leading known contributing factor in recreational boater fatalities. Impairment affects both operators and passengers, increasing the risk of serious incidents including falls overboard and collisions. During the 2022 campaign alone, officers made 794 BUI arrests and issued more than 45,000 citations and warnings, after engaging with more than 350,000 boaters across all 50 states and U.S. territories.
Since its inception, Operation Dry Water has led to the removal of over 7,400 impaired operators from waterways and reached more than 3.1 million boaters through education and outreach. The campaign is funded by the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, a critical program supporting conservation and boating infrastructure nationwide.
Operation Dry Water is funded by a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard, and is a program of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA).

For more information, visit http://www.operationdrywater.org