Texas has more than 560,000 registered boats and an estimated 359,000 additional unregistered watercraft operating on its lakes, rivers, and coastal waters. In the first half of 2025, the state recorded a 75 percent increase in boating-related fatalities compared to the same period the year before. Texas Game Wardens made 83 BWI arrests in the first half of 2025 (a 25 percent increase from 2024). 62 of those occurred in May alone, concentrated around Memorial Day weekend.
Alcohol is consistently identified as the leading known contributing factor in Texas boating deaths. Those numbers have driven increasingly aggressive enforcement on Texas waterways, and the enforcement is not limited to announced holiday programs. This is what boaters in the DFW area and Central Texas need to know before they get on the water.
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When and Where Enforcement Peaks
BWI enforcement concentrates around three holiday weekends every year: Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. The most significant coordinated enforcement program is Operation Dry Water which is a nationally coordinated campaign specifically targeting impaired boating during the July 4th holiday. It is conducted by Texas Game Wardens in cooperation with federal and local agencies. During Operation Dry Water, wardens contact tens of thousands of vessels over a single weekend, issue hundreds of citations, and make dozens of BWI arrests statewide.
But enforcement is not limited to announced programs. Texas Game Wardens patrol Texas waterways year-round, and the increasing focus on boating safety following the 2025 fatality spike has produced a more consistent enforcement presence on high-traffic lakes throughout the boating season.
North Texas Lakes: Enforcement by Water
Lake Lavon — Collin County
Located entirely within Collin County approximately 20 miles northeast of Dallas, Lake Lavon is a Corps of Engineers reservoir that draws boaters from the Dallas, Plano, and McKinney corridors. Enforcement is conducted primarily by Texas Game Wardens with Collin County resources in support. BWI arrests on Lake Lavon are prosecuted by the Collin County District Attorney’s Office and heard at the Collin County Courthouse in McKinney. Deandra Grant Law’s office in Allen is the closest DGL location to Lake Lavon.
Lake Ray Hubbard — Dallas/Rockwall/Collin/Kaufman Counties
One of the largest urban lakes in Texas, Lake Ray Hubbard is directly accessible from the Dallas metro and straddles four county lines. Enforcement is shared among multiple county agencies and Game Wardens. The county in which an offense occurs determines which DA’s office prosecutes and which courthouse hears the case. Deandra Grant Law’s Rockwall office serves clients with Lake Ray Hubbard BWI arrests.
Lewisville Lake — Denton County
One of the most heavily used recreational lakes in the DFW area, Lake Lewisville draws boaters from Dallas, Collin, and Denton counties. BWI enforcement is conducted by Denton County and Texas Game Wardens. Cases are prosecuted by the Denton County DA’s Office at the Denton County Courthouse, 1450 E. McKinney Street, Denton, TX 76209. DGL’s Denton office handles Lake Lewisville BWI cases.
Grapevine Lake — Tarrant/Denton Counties
A Corps of Engineers reservoir northwest of DFW Airport, Grapevine Lake draws significant boating traffic from the Fort Worth and Southlake areas. Game Warden enforcement is primary. Cases in Tarrant County are heard by the Tarrant County DA’s Office. DGL’s Fort Worth office serves Tarrant County BWI defendants.
Lake Texoma — Grayson County (TX) / Marshall County (OK)
The largest lake on the Texas-Oklahoma border and one of the ten largest lakes in the United States, Lake Texoma sits on a federal reservoir crossing state lines. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard, Texas Game Wardens, and Oklahoma wildlife officers all have enforcement jurisdiction depending on location and circumstances. A BWI arrest on Lake Texoma may be a Texas state charge but could also be charged in Oklahoma (depending on where the arrest happens).
Lake Tawakoni — Hunt/Rains/Van Zandt Counties
Located east of Dallas, Lake Tawakoni draws boaters from the DFW metro. Game Warden enforcement is primary. Cases are prosecuted by the county DA’s office corresponding to where the arrest occurred.
Possum Kingdom Lake — Palo Pinto County
Known for heavy holiday traffic and elevated enforcement during summer weekends. Located west of Fort Worth, cases are prosecuted by the Palo Pinto County DA’s Office.
Central Texas Lakes: Within DGL’s Waco Service Area
Lake Waco — McLennan County
The primary lake within DGL’s Waco service area. Enforcement by McLennan County and Texas Game Wardens. BWI cases are prosecuted by the McLennan County DA’s Office.
Lake Belton and Lake Stillhouse Hollow — Bell County
Two Central Texas lakes with heavy summer traffic south of Waco. Lake Belton is a Corps of Engineers reservoir; both lakes draw boaters from the Killeen-Temple-Waco corridor. Game Warden enforcement is primary.
Case Results
What Game Wardens Look for on the Water
Game Wardens conducting BWI enforcement are trained to identify specific indicators of impairment visible from another vessel or from shore:
- Erratic or inconsistent vessel operation — wide turns, inconsistent speed, weaving between other boats
- Unsafe speeds near other vessels, docks, swim areas, or marked no-wake zones
- Visible consumption of alcohol on board
- Passengers not wearing required personal flotation devices
- Navigation light violations after dark
- Equipment violations that give the warden authority to approach for a safety check
The last point is the most strategically important. Game Wardens can approach a vessel for a safety inspection without any suspicion of BWI. This is a significant difference from DWI traffic stops, where the officer must have a lawful basis for the stop. Once alongside, the warden may detect indicators of intoxication and shift from a safety check to a BWI investigation. Understanding whether an approach was a legitimate safety inspection or a pretextual stop used to investigate suspected intoxication is part of every BWI defense analysis.
The Child Passenger Enhancement: A 2024 Change
Texas law now treats BWI with a child passenger under age 15 on board as a state jail felony which is the same enhancement that applies to DWI with a child passenger. This enhancement took effect in 2024. A first-offense BWI that would otherwise be a Class B misdemeanor becomes a state jail felony carrying 180 days to 2 years in state jail if any passenger under 15 is present on the vessel. Families who bring children aboard on lake outings need to understand this enhancement exists and what it means.
The 15-Day ALR Deadline
A BWI arrest triggers the same Administrative License Revocation proceeding as a DWI arrest. If you refused a chemical test or provided a specimen showing a BAC of 0.08 percent or higher, Texas DPS will seek to suspend your driver’s license (not just your boating privileges). The 15-day deadline to request an ALR hearing runs from the date of notice of suspension. Missing it means the suspension takes effect automatically, with no further opportunity to contest it.
This is one of the most urgent facts for anyone arrested for BWI on a Texas lake. The 15-day clock may be running. Contact a BWI defense attorney the same day.
If You Are Stopped on the Water
The same principles that apply at a roadside DWI stop apply on the water:
Cooperate with the warden’s authority to approach and conduct a safety inspection. That authority is real and resistance creates additional exposure.
Provide your operator identification and vessel documentation when asked. These are required.
Exercise your right to remain silent beyond what is required. You do not have to answer questions about where you have been, what you have had to drink, or how long you have been on the water.
You can decline field sobriety tests. There is no ALR suspension consequence for declining to perform the marine test battery, just as there is no consequence for declining roadside SFSTs.
Call a BWI defense attorney as soon as possible after arrest. The 15-day ALR deadline may be running.
Deandra Grant Law handles BWI charges throughout North and Central Texas, including cases arising from Lake Lavon, Lake Ray Hubbard, Lake Lewisville, Lake Waco, and Lake Texoma. Call (214) 225-7117 for a free, confidential consultation.
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