Imperial, California - The Imperial County Sheriff’s Office Boating Enforcement Safety Team (B.E.S.T.) will be one of twenty-seven law enforcement entities from California that will be participating in the “Operation Dry Water” campaign.

This weekend B.E.S.T. will be out in force on the Colorado River waterways looking for drunken boat operators. This heightened vigilance, known as Operation Dry Water, is part of a national effort to change the cultural acceptance of drinking and boating, and raise awareness that boaters can have safe and fun recreational boating experiences without the use of alcohol and/or drugs.

In California, it is against the law to operate a boat or water ski with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or more. A person with a BAC less than 0.08 percent may also be arrested if conditions are deemed to be unsafe. If convicted, a person may be sentenced to jail for up to six months and assessed fines of up to $1,000. Two convictions within seven years could add a jail term of up to one year. Boaters caught operating under the influence may also find their voyage terminated and their vessel impounded.