Reno, Nv…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.

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office is one of hundreds of law enforcement agencies throughout the United States that are expected to participate. North Lake Tahoe agencies also include the Eldorado County Sheriff’s Office, Nevada Department of Wildlife and the United States Coast Guard.

This is the first year the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office has participated in Operation Dry Water. As recreational activity on Lake Tahoe increases, the Sheriff’s Office felt it was also important to increase our efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of boating under the influence. Participating in Operation Dry Water allows the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office to become part of an enormous multi-agency effort to make Tahoe safer for everyone who wants to enjoy its waters.

Boating under the influence is illegal per Nevada state law. Alcohol use also presents many dangers to the recreational boater. U.S. Coast Guard data from past years shows alcohol use as a primary contributing factor to recreational boater deaths nationwide. Alcohol not only impairs a person’s ability to operate a watercraft, it is also known to increase fatigue along with susceptibility to the effects of colder waters such as Lake Tahoe.

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 boat where the operator had not received any boating instruction.

Get a free vessel check every year. These checks reveal life-threatening problems even on boats owned by safe, responsible boaters.

Lake Tahoe recreational boaters are also advised to check the weather before heading out on the water. Weather conditions may change rapidly on the Lake so it important to keep up with the most updated forecasts.