River, Canal and Dam Safety

Warm weather presents great opportunities for those who enjoy the outdoors to hit the water. Regardless of where you're going, some basic precautions should be taken.

For instance, it's safe to say that nobody should ever swim or ride watercraft without a buddy. Even the most seasoned swimmers or boaters have been killed because something happened and nobody was around to perform simple rescue techniques. Make sure there is always an adult supervising water activities.

Never engage in any type of water activity if any of the group has been drinking.

In the River or Canal:

Avoid canals because, while the surface of the water may look calm, there may be very strong currents below that could drag a person under. Also, canals can be dumping grounds for sunken debris. Since nobody charts what this debris is, or where it is located, it could easily harm or kill users. Finally, the water quality in canals is not always monitored, since their purpose is not for swimming, but for delivering water to places where it will be treated for proper use. High levels of bacteria, toxins from vehicles dumped into the canal, or compounds from dead animals, decaying in the water, are just a few of the reasons not to swim in canals.

Rivers have some of the same issues, when it comes to unseen currents. They can look calm on the surface, yet be so turbulent underneath that dogs and humans are routinely dragged underneath. Rivers also have a disadvantage in that they are not man-made and can have many surprise hazards. These areas, unlike swimming pools or water parks, are wild. As such, they have constantly changing and unexpected hazards that can arise at any time. In addition, their area is often too large, and maintenance budgets (if any) too small to fund a person to constantly patrol the area, looking for hazards. Therefore, the responsibility for watching for things such as fallen trees, broken limbs and jagged rocks in a river becomes that of the user.

One of the bigger hidden dangers of many rivers is rapids, turbulent areas where water rushes around rocks and boulders. Rafters can easily find themselves overturned in these areas, and wedged between rocks or knocked unconscious by angry tides. Further down the river, there may be a waterfall - some with drops of hundreds of feet. By not being aware of the physical features of a river, such as a waterfall, boaters can find themselves plunging over a drop from which they cannot survive.

Rivers are also incredibly cold, making hypothermia a concern. Nobody should ever stay in cold water for too long, as he can become incapacitated by the temperatures, impeding his ability to swim to safety.

Information about the river you are visiting is the most powerful weapon against accidents. Another simple one is a life vest. Once again, people who have been swimming all their lives often feel that these jackets are unnecessary. But remember, nobody, no matter how strong of a swimmer, can save himself if rendered unconscious.

The ways in which life jackets have saved lives are numerous: when a boat capsizes, when a raft loses air or when a current is trying to drag a swimmer under. Even fishermen, caught off guard by a current, or those who accidentally find their waders filling up, have been saved by these inexpensive devices.

Always remember that while your raft may look sturdy, it, and other inflatable types of water "toys" are not life preservers.

Near a Dam:

Dams are man-made structures of either earth or concrete that enables water supplies to be regulated to people. So, in general, they are more closely marked than wild rivers. It is important to remember that the signs and buoys that have been placed by dam personnel, are there for a reason. Never attempt to cross the ropes that cordon off sections of a dam area, as they are there to protect you from strong currents, debris, intake mechanisms and more.

It is important to remember never to swim or boat directly above or below a dam. From above, you can be swept over the edge to a water level hundreds of feet below. If water is released while you are on the top, you will be carried over, and it won't be a gentle ride. If you're below the dam, and water is released, it will be done with such force that you cannot possibly swim to the top. Remember, these architectural features release thousands of gallons of water to the community below. A boat, much less a fragile human being, cannot hope to withstand this kind of onslaught. It is safer to stay within approved areas, away from the dam itself.

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