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2027 Operation Dry Water

July 2– 4, 2027

Operation Dry Water (ODW) is a year-round boating under the influence awareness and enforcement campaign. The 2027 national Operation Dry Water heightened awareness and enforcement three-day weekend will take place July 2 – 4, 2027.

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2026 Operation Dry Water Award Winners

Operation Dry Water Award Winners Recognized

2026 Award Winners

The 2026 Operation Dry Water award recipients were honored during the NASBLA Annual Conference for their outstanding dedication to boating under the influence (BUI) enforcement, education and public outreach. These officers and agencies have demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to promoting recreational boating safety nationwide.

Meet the 2026 Award Winners

Peterlin Family

Operation Dry Water PSA

Cynthia & Sophie Peterlin

In September of 2012 mother and daughter, Cynthia and Sophie Peterlin, were killed as a result of a boating crash involving an impaired boat operator on Lake Englebright, California. Their family, Brock and Alek (sons/brothers) and Brian Korek (brother/uncle) tell their story of what happened from that day on, when their family members didn't return home.

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National Boating Under the Influence Awareness and Enforcement Campaign

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About BUI

Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in recreational boater deaths.

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ODW Campaign

Operation Dry Water is a national year-round campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of boating under the influence.

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Registration

Law Enforcement agencies can register now to participate in the national ODW campaign.

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Heightened Enforcement Weekend

July 2 – 4, 2027

Campaign Resources

Law enforcement agencies and organizations can find information regarding the Operation Dry Water campaign and the heightened awareness and enforcement weekend here. The following materials will help officers with the initiative of spreading awareness of the danger of boating under the influence and removing impaired boaters from our nation’s waterways.

Participating Agencies

Want to see which agencies and USCG stations are participating in Operation Dry Water 2026 near you? Visit the participating agencies page to see the full list of who is already registered.

Press Room

Check out this year’s Operation Dry Water press kit and other media releases highlighting information on the nation’s boating under the influence campaign. Also, access past media releases and press kits to learn more about the campaign.

Outreach Materials

Media professionals and boating safety educators: Please use the following materials to help spread awareness of the danger of boating under the influence and the Operation Dry Water campaign.

Public Service Announcements

Public Service Announcements (PSAs) are a powerful way to get messages out to the boating public. Operation Dry Water has produced multiple national PSAs and is proud to promote the products and efforts of other law enforcement agencies who have produced PSAs for their state.

Newsletter

Want to stay up-to-date on the Operation Dry Water campaign and be notified when new resources are made available? In case you missed a newsletter, all Operation Dry Water newsletters are available here. Subscribe to the ODW newsletter now!

Results

Since the launch of Operation Dry Water in 2009, the number of boating fatalities with alcohol named as a contributing factor has decreased in the United States*. Check out the impact that Operation Dry Water has made on eliminating impaired operators from the water and educating boaters about the dangers of BUI throughout the course of the campaign’s history.

Officer stopping boater

About Operation Dry Water

Heightened Enforcement Weekend

Operation Dry Water (ODW) is a year-round boating under the influence awareness and enforcement campaign. The mission of ODW is to reduce the number of alcohol- and drug-related incidents and fatalities through increased recreational boater awareness and by fostering a stronger and more visible deterrent to alcohol use on the water.

Operation Dry Water's heightened awareness and enforcement three-day weekend takes place annually around July fourth, a holiday unfortunately known for drinking and boating, and deadly incidents.

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