RESERVOIR — The Reservoir Police Department is urging everyone who spends time on the Barnett Reservoir to keep safety first in mind, emphasizing staying safe in the water, on a boat and behind the wheel of a vessel.
The Ross Barnett Reservoir draws an estimated 2.5 million visitors a year across 33,000 acres of water and more than 100 miles of shoreline reaching five counties. Its officers operate a Marine Police Division capable of responding on the water at any hour, any day of the year.
For swimmers, the department’s advice starts with knowing your limits and never swimming alone. Officers are asking parents and guardians to supervise children at all times and to stay aware of currents, drop-offs and underwater hazards that aren’t always visible from the surface.
The department also warns against swimming under the influence of alcohol or drugs and recommends wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when needed.
For boaters, the guidance leans heavily on flotation. Everyone onboard should have a life jacket worn or within reach, and each vessel should carry a throwable flotation device, a fire extinguisher and a sound-producing device. Children 12 and under are required to wear a personal flotation device while the boat is underway.
Officers also remind operators that navigation lights are required after sunset, and that anyone pulling a tuber or water skier needs both a driver and a separate spotter. Boaters born after June 30, 1980, are reminded to carry a Mississippi Boater Education Card.
The department’s message on impaired boating is blunt: operating a boat while impaired is illegal. Officers are encouraging groups to designate a sober operator to help keep everyone on the water safe.
How to reach the department
In an emergency, call 911. For non-emergency matters, the Reservoir Police Department can be reached at (601) 664-3333.
