{"name":"surfaceIsWater","title":"surfaceIsWater","type":"command","url":"https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/surfaceIsWater","revid":379477,"updated":"2026-10-31T00:11:44Z","groups":["Positions"],"status":"ok","games":{"ofpe":"1.00","arma1":"1.00","arma2":"1.00","arma2oa":"1.50","tkoh":"1.00","arma3":"0.50"},"since":"ofpe 1.00","arma3_since":"0.50","description":"Returns whether there is water at given position. In Arma 3, it also detects pond objects, but only if they are loaded in memory (normally only true if the objects are within the object view distance)","syntaxes":[{"syntax":"surfaceIsWater position","params":[{"name":"position","type":"Position2D or Position3D","description":"when using Position3D Z will be ignored","type_expr":"Position2D | Position3D"}],"returns":{"type":"Boolean","type_expr":"Boolean"},"form":"unary","right":{"text":"position"}}],"examples":[{"code":["private _result = surfaceIsWater [1000, 3000];"]},{"code":["_isWater = surfaceIsWater position player;"]}],"see_also":["surfaceType","surfaceNormal","nearRoads","roadsConnectedTo","roadAt","isOnRoad"],"notes":[{"user":"Osmo","date":"2012-05-04T00:00:00Z","text":"Does not work with inland water. Works only with sea water."},{"user":"Leopard20","date":"2021-07-19T06:11:00Z","text":"The above note is not true in Arma 3. The command **does detect pond objects** and will return true if there is a pond object at that position. However, the object must have been loaded in memory (normally only true if the object is within the object view distance)"}]}