SOCIAL CIRCLE — As part of a nationally coordinated effort to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities related to boating under the influence, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division is participating in Operation Dry Water this weekend.
The mission of Operation Dry Water is also to bring awareness and education to recreational boaters about the dangers of alcohol and drug use on the water.  
“We are dedicated to keeping boaters safe on our waters. Boating is a safe and enjoyable pastime when people stay alert and follow the rules,” said Lt. Col. Jeff Weaver of the GDNR. “You will see our officers out on the water looking for boaters who are operating a vessel under the influence.”
Conservation rangers in Georgia have made 71 arrests so far this year on state lakes and a total of 180 in 2012. The legal limit on blood-alcohol concentration while operating a boat in Georgia is .08.
Operation Dry Water was launched by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators in 2009 in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard. The initiative puts thousands of local, state and federal marine law-enforcement officers on the water just before the Fourth of July to give BUI enforcement high visibility. For more information, go to www.operationdrywater.org.