Holiday travelers also warned not to drink and paddle

KLCC | By Brian Bull

Published June 30, 2023 at 10:50 PM PDT

Boats on lake. — Boaters on Clear Lake, Oregon.

Enforcement of Oregon’s laws against operating under the influence of intoxicants this Fourth of July weekend will not only take place on land, but water as well.

The U.S. Coast Guard and Oregon State Marine Board will be looking for impaired boaters from July 1-3. This not only includes motor-boats but other watercraft, including kayaks and canoes.

The Operation Dry Water Campaign will crack down on boating under the influence, with up to $6,250 in fines, as well as possible jail time and loss of boating privileges.

People can report intoxicated or otherwise impaired boaters by calling 911.

Marine officers can arrest boaters on observed impairment and legally obtain blood, breath, or urine if a boater fails standardized field sobriety testing.

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Brian Bull

Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016. In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional), the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.

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