The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), in partnership with the Wisconsin DNR, U.S. Coast Guard, and local agencies, launched the 2025 Operation Dry Water heightened enforcement weekend with a press event in Green Bay to raise awareness about the dangers of boating under the influence. Operation Dry Water is a year-round national campaign focused on reducing impaired boating through education, enforcement, and increased patrols taking place July 4–6 across all U.S. states and territories.
LEXINGTON, Ky., July 3, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- On Wednesday, July 2, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in partnership with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), the U.S. Coast Guard, Brown County Sheriff's Office, Green Bay Police Department, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), kicked off the 2025 Operation Dry Water (ODW) heightened awareness and enforcement weekend with a press conference in Green Bay.
"We've gathered today to raise awareness about the preventable crime of boating under the influence and to share what we are doing nationally to educate boaters and prevent impaired boating incidents," said Taylor Kirshe, NASBLA chief operating officer. "In 2009, NASBLA in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, launched the Operation Dry Water campaign to address the problem of impaired boating on our nation's waterways."
Operation Dry Water is a year-round national campaign focused on reducing alcohol- and drug-related incidents and fatalities on the water. Each year, the campaign includes a three-day heightened awareness and enforcement weekend, targeting operators who choose to boat under the influence (BUI) of alcohol or drugs. The 2025 heightened enforcement weekend runs from Friday, July 4, through Sunday, July 6, nationwide.
"We make it known that we have zero tolerance for boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and the DNR has incredible partners in this effort to keep boating and paddling fun and safe," said Wisconsin DNR Deputy Chief Warden Matt O'Brien. "The mission of Operation Dry Water is not just one weekend here in Wisconsin. Whenever there are waters with recreators, our safety mission is on. Sober operators get their vessels home safely."
Alcohol continues to be the leading contributing factor in recreational boater fatalities and a major cause of boating incidents.* Nationally, drug-impaired boating incidents are also on the rise.
"While we welcome everyone to experience these incredible natural resources, we want to make sure everyone goes home safely," said Sheriff Todd Delain of the Brown County Sheriff's Office. "We're counting on every boater to do their part to make this a safe holiday weekend and summer."
Law enforcement agencies from all 56 U.S. states and territories, including the U.S. Coast Guard, are participating in Operation Dry Water. Officers will focus on detecting impaired boaters, removing them from the water, and educating the public about the dangers of boating under the influence.
"In the same way that we work to keep our roadways free from impaired drivers, we work to keep our waterways free of impaired boaters," said City of Green Bay Police Chief Chris Davis. "Drunk boating is drunk driving, and the consequences are the same — and they can be significant."
In addition to raising awareness, NASBLA works to strengthen law enforcement capabilities through specialized training. Officers across the country participate in BUI enforcement training to stay current on best practices for detecting and addressing impaired boating.
"Impaired boating is 100% preventable. It is a choice, not an accident," said Todd Radabaugh, NASBLA BUI program manager. "If you make the choice to operate while impaired, NASBLA strives to equip officers with the tools and training they need to make informed arrest or no-arrest decisions out on the water. In 2010, NASBLA introduced a scientifically validated battery of seated field sobriety tests. These tests are now widely used both on land and on the water."
The tools and training provided to law enforcement have greatly enhanced their ability to prevent and respond to BUI incidents. This heightened enforcement highlights the broader impact of impaired boating — an issue that affects not only the victims but also their families and communities.
"This weekend and all summer, crews will be patrolling here in northeast Wisconsin and across the country, with the goal of keeping impaired boaters off the water," said Master Chief Chris Zahn, U.S. Coast Guard Station Sturgeon Bay. "Boating under the influence is one of the deadliest and yet most preventable dangers we face on the waterways."
Maintaining a drug- and alcohol-free environment on the water is essential for safe boating. NASBLA and its partners also encourage wearing a life jacket, using an engine cut-off switch, and completing a boating education course before heading out on the water.
Operation Dry Water (ODW) is produced under a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard and is a product of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA).
*2024 U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics
Media Contact
Taylor Kirshe, National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, 859-225-9487, [email protected], https://www.nasbla.org/home
SOURCE National Association of State Boating Law Administrators
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