Published: 7/6/2022

THE TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY SAID ITS “OPERATION DRY WATER” ON TENNESSEE WATERWAYS NETTED MORE THAN A FEW DOZEN BOATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE ARRESTS OVER THE JULY 4TH WEEKEND. THEY ALSO RESPONDED TO SEVERAL BOATING INCIDENTS ACROSS THE STATE. SO FAR THIS YEAR THE TWRA REPORTS 15 DEAD DUE TO BOATING INCIDENTS ON TENNESSEE WATERWAYS. THERE WAS ONE FATAL INCIDENT S, 2 SERIOUS INJURY INCIDENTS, AS WELL AS 8 PROPERTY DAMAGE INCIDENTS OVER THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. A TOTAL OF 25 BUI ARRESTS WERE MADE. A NEW TN LAW MAKES PRIOR BOATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE CONVICTION SAME AS DUI. THE LAW, KNOWN AS “NICHOLAS’ LAW,” MAKES A PRIOR CONVICTION FOR BOATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE THE SAME AS A PRIOR CONVICTION FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE. TWRA’S “OPERATION DRY WATER” IS A YEAR-ROUND CAMPAIGN, BUT THE AGENCY HEIGHTENED ITS ENFORCEMENT FOR THE JULY 4TH HOLIDAY WEEKEND -  AIMED AT REDUCING THE NUMBER OF ALCOHOL OR DRUG-RELATED INCIDENTS AND FATALITIES ON THE WATER WHILE INCREASING RECREATIONAL BOATING AWARENESS AND SAFETY.