The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reports that there were no fatal boating-related incidents during the four-day July 4th holiday and Operation Dry Water weekend. Operation Dry Water is a three-day period of increased enforcement and education about the dangers of impaired boating around July 4th, which is one of the busiest times of boating activity in the year.
There were nine serious injury incidents across the state. Additionally, there were nine property damage incidents reported.
TWRA boating officers made 28 alcohol-related boating under the influence (BUI) arrests, along with an additional three drug-related BUI arrests. The total number of BUI reports came in at 31, which is six more than the previous year’s holiday period. Officers checked close to 3,400 vessels, issued 555 written warnings, and 351 verbal warnings, mostly due to marine events and compliance issues.
On small streams and rivers, officers checked nearly 2,600 kayaks and canoes, resulting in 21 citations. Eight citations were issued for simple possession, as well as three citations for littering.
The TWRA did report the state’s 15th boating-related fatality on the morning of July 6. The incident occurred on East Tennessee’s Boone Lake in Washington County. This is compared to 16 boating fatalities at the same time last year.
The TWRA Boating and Law Enforcement Division compiled this year’s holiday statistics after receiving reports from the agency’s four regions.
