01/07/2025
WCSO Participating in Operation Dry Water this Weekend
Per WCSO:
“The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office will be working to increase awareness about the dangers of boating under the influence on the waters of North Lake Tahoe this weekend by participating in a national awareness and enforcement campaign called Operation Dry Water.
Operation Dry Water was launched in 2009 by the National Association of State Boating Law Administration and the United States Coast Guard. The campaign’s goal is to increase boating safety by reducing drug and alcohol related boating accidents.
Deputies will be looking for signs of impaired boating and talking to boaters about the dangers of operating a motorized vessel under the influence.
Boating under the influence is illegal per Nevada state law. Alcohol use also presents many dangers to the recreational boater.
A fun day on the Lake begins with a safe day on the Lake, and a safe day on the Lake begins with responsible boating.
The following four tips for responsible boating are from the National Association of Safe Boating Laws Administration and the United States Coast Guard:
Never boat under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or medication. Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in recreational boating fatalities.
Always wear a life jacket while boating. Eighty-five percent of people who drowned in a recreational boating accident were not wearing a life jacket.
Take a boating safety course. In accidents where the operator’s instruction history was known, 73 percent of fatalities occurred on boats where the operator had not received any boating instruction.
Get a vessel check every year. These checks reveal life-threatening problems even on boats owned by safe, responsible boaters.
Boaters are also advised to check the weather before heading out on the water. Weather conditions may change rapidly on the Lake, so it is important to keep up with the most updated forecasts.”
