Michigan DNR conservation officers Jeff Panich, Jesse Grzechowski, Alex Bourgeois, Nico Luna, and Sgt. Jon Warner rescued four people from Lake Huron near Harrisville, including two sailboat occupants and a paddle boarder and kayaker who attempted to assist. All were safely brought to shore with no injuries reported.
Construction at the Cyr Bridge Fishing Access Site boat slide begins July 27, with daytime operations continuing and temporary evening closures Monday-Thursday. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will assist boaters as crews replace wood and stairs to maintain safe conditions for Alberton Gorge whitewater floaters.
Nebraska Game and Parks is preparing Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area for lower water levels by improving boat ramp access at Spillway Bay, Diver's Bay, and Martin Bay. Park superintendent Patrick Schnell notes the state's largest reservoir remains open for boating, fishing, paddling, and swimming with expanded beaches available.
The Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has reopened the Moundville Public Boat Ramp after renovations that replaced and reoriented the launching slab. Funding came from the Sport Fish Restoration Program and Innovate Alabama.
Wildlife Forever is offering free Expect to Inspect educational outreach kits to help resource managers increase boater compliance with aquatic invasive species laws. The kits include posters, rack cards, and decals featuring the Clean, Drain, Dry messaging and are available on a first-come, first-served basis through www.Expect2Inspect.org.
Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating a fatal boating accident that occurred Saturday at Hammond Marina on Lake Michigan. Herman Woods, age 66, of Round Lake Beach, Illinois, was pronounced dead after a boat struck the marina's break wall with six individuals on board.
A closure on the Flathead River near Sportsman's Bridge on MT 82 has been lifted after steel girder installation for the Sportsman's Bridge project was completed. The restriction that prohibited boating from 20 feet upstream to 500 feet downstream of the bridge is now in effect.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is renovating the Andrew Hulsey Lake Hamilton Access from July 13-17, adding two floating docks, improving parking, and creating a dedicated paddlecraft launch area. The upgrades aim to enhance convenience and safety for the heavily-used fishing access point near Hot Springs.
A 65-year-old San Leandro, California man was found unresponsive on his personal watercraft July 6 on Lewis and Clark Lake. Boaters rescued him and transported him to Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, South Dakota, where he was pronounced dead. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission officers are investigating the incident.
A section of the Flathead River will close to all watercraft from July 8-9 for steel girder installation on the Sportsman's Bridge project on Montana Highway 82 northwest of Bigfork. The closure extends approximately 20 feet upstream and 500 feet downstream of the bridge.
The Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division will temporarily close Waterfront Public Boat Ramp on Lake Guntersville in Grant, Alabama starting July 13, 2026 for major upgrades including parking expansion, a new four-lane launching slab, and floating access pier. The facility is expected to remain closed for several months.
Mateo Franco Cifuentes, 29, of Biddeford drowned on July 1st after his kayak tipped over on Sabattus Pond. Cifuentes, who could not swim and was not wearing a personal floatation device, could not be saved despite rescue efforts by friends and bystanders. The Maine Warden Service is investigating the watercraft-related fatality.
Maine Warden Service divers recovered the body of Todd Bradeen, 51, of Standish, who drowned while paddleboarding on Lower Range Pond. Bradeen was not wearing a personal floatation device and did not have his leg tethered to the paddleboard when he fell in and was unable to catch up to it.
Jakub Prokop, 21, of Skowhegan drowned after being thrown from a 2006 Lund boat on the Kennebec River near Hinkley Boat Launch. Prokop was not wearing a lifejacket. The Maine Warden Service investigated with assistance from local fire and police departments.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department and partner agencies including Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, Bullhead City Police Department, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will increase patrols during Fourth of July weekend as part of Operation Dry Water, a national campaign to reduce alcohol-related boating accidents and fatalities.
Vermont's Warden Service and State Police, partnering with the National Association of Boating Law Administrators and U.S. Coast Guard, are participating in Operation Dry Water July 3-5 to reduce alcohol and drug-related boating incidents. Recent data shows alcohol use and lack of life jackets are primary factors in recreational boating deaths.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will conduct Operation Dry Water July 3-5 to increase boating safety during the Independence Day weekend. Sgt. Sydney Grant, AGFC Boating Law Administrator, emphasizes that alcohol's effects are magnified on water and urges boaters to operate responsibly and designate sober operators.
The Utah Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division will increase on-the-water patrols from July 3-5 as part of Operation Dry Water, a national campaign partnering with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and U.S. Coast Guard to prevent boating under the influence during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will increase on-the-water patrols July 3-5 as part of Operation Dry Water, a national campaign preventing boating under the influence in partnership with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and U.S. Coast Guard. Officers will conduct compliance checks and sobriety checks in high-traffic areas during the busy Fourth of July weekend.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced the reopening of the Cheboygan Lock after closure due to high-water conditions and infrastructure repairs. The facility, regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, required emergency response from multiple agencies including the DNR, Michigan State Police, Consumers Energy, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.