The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and the Butler County Sheriff’s department instituted heavier patrols at the El Dorado Lake this camping season.

Boating under the influence in conjunction with under-age drinking is a primary complaint.

“There were three BUIs at El Dorado that I am aware of,” said Tyson Nielson, natural resource officer for Butler County and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

Last summer several arrests were made involving BUIs.

Kansas law prohibits boating while under the influence of alcohol. 

Alcohol impairs balance, blurs vision, causes poor coordination, impairs judgment and slows reaction time. 

Alcohol contributes to about one-third of all fatal boating accidents nationwide.

“There have been three arrests this summer so far,” said Nielsen.

Under Kansas law a person is considered to be operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol if he or she has a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or great; 0.02 percent or greater if the person is less than 21 years of age. 

The glare and heat of the sun, along with the motion, noise and vibration of the vessel caused by the wind and the waves have a large impact on one’s body that he or she may not realize. 

These stressors make people tire more rapidly when on the water, regardless of age and level of fitness. 

According to information from the KDWP, boaters greatly underestimate the effect these stressors have on fatigue, and when a boater combines these stressors with the consumption of alcohol the likelihood of an accident increases. 

Boaters also need to be concerned with dehydration. When the body is suffering from dehydration it will fatigue ones’ body. The consumption of alcohol combined with dehydration can also increase the likelihood of an accident.