PHOENIX - The Arizona Game and Fish Department and its partner agencies will be patrolling Arizona’s waterways over the Fourth of July weekend to provide heightened enforcement and awareness about the dangers of drinking alcohol while boating. 

Operation Dry Water is a national boating-under-the-influence awareness and enforcement campaign, according to an AZGFD release.

During last year’s Operation Dry Water campaign, nearly 500 local, state and federal agencies contacted 296,190 boaters and made 584 arrests nationwide for boating under the influence. A total of 10,008 citations were issued, as well as 33,546 safety warnings, the release stated.

In Arizona, five agencies — AZGFD, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Bullhead City Police Department, National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — contacted a total of 2,822 boaters statewide during last year’s campaign, made four arrests for boating under the influence and issued 89 citations. The agencies also combined to issue 588 safety warnings, authorities said.

While the campaign's main focus is geared toward those who operate a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs, officers may give warnings or write citations for other violations, including not having proper safety equipment, failing to slow down in no-wake zones, operating too close to another vessel and riding on areas of a vessel that are not allowed, such as the bow or transom. 

Arizona law requires children 12 and under must wear a life jacket at all times while the boat is underway, and there must be one life jacket on board for every passenger.

In addition, a throwable flotation device, usually a cushion with handles or a ring buoy, is required for all watercraft longer than 16 feet (except for canoes and kayaks), according to the release.

For more:  www.azgfd.com/Boating/. 

We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.