As the long holiday weekend came to a close Tuesday night, official numbers from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources indicated an improvement related to boating incidents from last year on Lake Lanier.
Over the holiday last year there were 8 boating incidents involving 10 injuries on Lanier, according to DNR Law Enforcement Division Public Affairs Officer Mark McKinnon.
"This year, we had 4 boating incidents and no injuries, so this year, a little better than last year, and we hope that some of the educational efforts that we've been making, getting the word out for people to boat safely and wear their life jackets and things like that are paying off."
Of those four incidents on Lanier between 12:00 a.m. Saturday and 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, only 1 happened prior to the 4th. None were alcohol-related.
"Three of those actually occurred last (Tuesday) night, I believe during or just after the fireworks presentation out at Lanier," said McKinnon.
As far as boating under the influence arrests, McKinnon said the number was unchanged from last year at 10 for the holiday period on Lanier.
On Lake Hartwell, DNR responded to one boating incident involving no injuries. There were no BUI arrests made by DNR on Hartwell this year.
AccessWDUN received a message that an 18-year-old man suffered injuries in an incident on Hartwell early Wednesday morning.
"We did not get a report of this since it is not boating related. The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office is handling it," McKinnon said.
Across Georgia, DNR reported one drowning. It happened on the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, according to McKinnon.
Statewide totals for the weekend involved 34 BUI's and 9 boating incidents involving 5 injuries. Only 1 of the incidents was alcohol-related, according to McKinnon.
