Law enforcement to hit Iowa waters hard this weekend

The Department of Natural Resources will partner with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers, and local sheriff's departments to step up law enforcement on Iowa waters this weekend.

The agencies are taking part in the national “Operation Dry Water” campaign.  Susan Stocker, boating law administrator and education coordinator for the Iowa DNR, said water patrol will be conducting check points, administering breath tests and working to inform the public about hazardous waters.

The DNR also wants to use the weekend as a final warning for boaters about the upcoming blood-alcohol law change.  Starting July 1, the legal BAC for a boat operator goes from 0.10 to 0.08.

In 2010 authorities made 35 BWI arrests on Iowa waters.