The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office will participate in the national Operation Dry Water campaign this weekend in an effort to reduce the number of drunken boat operators on area waterways.
The program focuses on enforcement of under the influence boating laws and educating boaters on the risks of operating while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Deputies will be on the waters Friday through Sunday looking for anyone whose blood-alcohol content exceeds the Washington state limit of .08. The penalties for boating under the influence are fines and jail time.
Between 2007 and 2011, 30 people were killed in alcohol-related boating accidents in Washington, the Washington State Parks Boating Safety Programs reported.
You can learn more about Operation Dry Water at www.operationdrywater.org.
