GRANT COUNTY — Grant County is a boater's paradise. With numerous bodies of water there is no shortage of opportunities to get out on the water and enjoy a day of boating. Boating can also be dangerous and boating under the influence only heightens that danger.

To increase awareness of the dangers of boating under the influence and to reduce the number of accidents and deaths that stem from boating while impaired, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office decided to join Operation Dry Water.

The sheriff’s office will be participating in Operation Dry Water weekend, which starts today and runs through Sunday. The weekend is a part of a nationwide effort to put boating under the influence laws under the microscope, with special emphasis given to recreational boater outreach. The sheriff’s office is reaching out to the community at large, as well as the recreational boating community, as a part of the yearlong Operation Dry Water campaign. The campaign informs and educates boaters about the dangers of boating under the influence, as alcohol use is cited as the contributing factor in recreational boater deaths.

Operation Dry Water’s goal is to raise awareness among boaters of the following facts:

Alcohol use can impair a boater’s judgment, balance, vision and reaction time.

Alcohol use can increase fatigue and susceptibility to the effects of immersion in cold water.

Sun, wind, noise, vibration and motion can intensify the effects of alcohol, drugs and some medications.

Alcohol consumption while boating can be dangerous for passengers, as intoxication can lead to slips, falls overboard and other accidents.

"Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in recreational boater deaths in the United States. By participating in Operation Dry Water, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office is encouraging everyone to stay safe by staying sober while on the water,” Sheriff Tom Jones said. “We want recreational boaters to have a fun and enjoyable time on the water; one impaired boater can ruin that for everyone.”

For more information on Operation Dry Water, or to take the pledge to not operate a boat under the influence, visit www.operationdrywater.org.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.