A warning to boaters operating impaired during the Fourth of July weekend: Nebraska conservation officers will be watching.
Operation Dry Water, a national heightened awareness and enforcement campaign focused on reducing the number of alcohol- and drug-related incidents and deaths, is July 3-5.
For those days, Nebraska Game and Parks conservation officers will have an enhanced presence on waters across the state, targeting impaired boat operators. Their goal will be to raise awareness and to foster a stronger, more visible deterrent to alcohol and drug use on the water through enforcement.
Fourth of July is a holiday known for increased boaters on the water where alcohol use is prevalent and a higher number of boating incidents and fatalities, according to Operation Dry Water.
"The holiday weekend is a time for family and friends to have fun on the water, but it should be done safely," said Mike Thome, Game and Parks' boating law administrator. "Boating under the influence is completely preventable, and it puts everyone at risk. Our officers will be actively enforcing BUI laws to help ensure a safe holiday weekend for all waterway users."
Alcohol use is the leading known contributing factor to fatal boating incidents. Where the primary cause was known, it was listed as the leading factor in 16% of deaths according to U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics 2021. Just like on land, alcohol use impairs judgment, balance, vision, reaction time and can increase fatigue. Sun, wind, noise, and motion — stressors common during boating — also intensify the side effects of alcohol and drugs.
In Nebraska, it is unlawful to operate a motorboat with a blood alcohol level content of .08 % or greater. Doing so constitutes Boating Under the Influence (BUI), which carries penalties such as vessel impoundment, fines, jail time, and loss of boating privileges.
In 2025, 451 local, state, and federal agencies participated in Operation Dry Water. Over the three-day weekend, officers contacted 232,694 boaters, made 501 BUI arrests, and issued 34,545 citations and warnings for safety violations.
Operation Dry Water is a joint program of Game and Parks, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Find more information on the national effort at OperationDryWater.org.
In addition to recreating responsibly, Game and Parks offers these boat safety reminders:
- Have all required boating safety equipment on your vessel, including life jackets or U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal floatation devices, lights, a fire extinguisher, horn, bailing bucket and an orange flag if pulling skiers and tubers.
- Children aged 12 and younger and anyone riding or operating a personal watercraft or being pulled on a towable, including skis and surfboards, must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
- A life jacket is required to be on board for each person in a kayak, canoe or paddleboard.
- Anyone operating a motorboat or personal watercraft must be at least 14 years old. Operators must be 16 to tow any water sports participants.
- Anyone born after Dec. 31, 1985, must complete a boater safety course, which can be taken at OutdoorNebraska.gov, search for "boater education."
For more information on boating rules and requirements, read the 2026 Boating Guide at OutdoorNebraska.gov/guides-maps.